Monday, May 07, 2007

UK and US must admit defeat and leave Iraq, says British general: Insurgents justified in opposing the occupation

General Sir Michael Rose on the Iraq war: "A retired British army general says Iraq's insurgents are justified in opposing the occupation, arguing that the US and its allies should 'admit defeat' and leave Iraq before more soldiers are killed.

"According to the Guardian, General Sir Michael Rose told the BBC's Newsnight programme: 'It is the soldiers who have been telling me from the frontline that the war they have been fighting is a hopeless war, that they cannot possibly win it and the sooner we start talking politics and not military solutions, the sooner they will come home and their lives will be preserved.'

"Asked if that meant admitting defeat, the general replied: 'Of course we have to admit defeat. The British admitted defeat in north America and the catastrophes that were predicted at the time never happened.

"'The catastrophes that were predicted after Vietnam never happened. The same thing will occur after we leave Iraq.'"

A refreshingly frank statement. Of course it is the truth, but UK/US/A will find it very hard to admit.

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