But do we have a choice. Right now our borders are not completely defensible and never will be again. We have to shut down the people who are exporting terrorism before they get started or our country can't survive. The logical method would be for the UN to take on the more dangerous people in the world, but they seem to be paralyzed with their own internal politics and our national survival is too important to wait for them to get their act together.

George Walker, Redfield, GA

The U.S. has lost the war in Iraq and will cut and run after the next election. Republican Congressmen and Senators are lining up to disown Bush (and the puppet master Cheney). In the mean time the body bags will keep flowing at approxiametely 80-100 of America's finest a month. The majority of the grieving families will stand over their loved ones graves asking "What the...?". The 25% of yankees who still believe in the war will continue to write pathetic sychophantic emails in reply to reports such as this. All too predictably qrotesque. In that the hard core war mongering minority kept the U.S. clinging to a vain hope at the expense of its beloved sons and daughters, the Iraq experience truely has become another Vietnam all over again. Our continued presence in Iraq is merely feeding the Islamo-fascist dragon that we are meant to be slaying.

Dean , Brisbane, Oz

I agree the Iraq war was a mistake, but am less certain that withdrawal will help the Middle East. The best move for Gordon Brown is to distance himself from George Bush, because anti-Iranian rhetoric has turned him into a pariah. The UK and US gains quite a lot from the Gulf War: military training, cheaper oil, a public war against terrorism and a distraction when farm prices are rising and the economy is growing too fast.

The Middle East have come to accept American involvement in the region, but litle more. Israel will become more vulnerable after an Iraq withdrawal, and terrorism become a national threat. Iraq has also encouraged the terrorists, and given some amunition to the next Iraq regime. Other economies in the South have also benefited. I argue that if we pull out of the Middle East, this is different from withdrawing for Iraq, and the latter should be done soon, if the UK is to stay in the Middle East.

Hugh Gracey, London, UK

Presumably the only question will be - How much?

Manchego, Santiago,

Its time that certain headlines were more accurately reflected in their reporting. The US fears that Brown may want to back out does not mean that American citizens are afraid of this as the headline should read 'The Bush Administration fears that Gordon Brown may pull out of Iraq'. Far too often when reporting what the US or UK will or won't do, the implication is that its the whole of the country thats for or against a certain issue. The truth is a few ideologically driven megalomaniacs in power are more concerned about their poll ratings rather than the reality of war. The majority of the UK wanted to pull out 2 or more years ago and two thirds of Americans want the same now but in undemocratic democracies like the UK & US it isn't going to happen until election losses threaten the politicians from feeding at the trough of plenty. Common sense and rationale thought never entered the debate about going to war and only losing ones political seat will bring this war to an end.

Mike, Alicante, Spain

If true, this is very good news not only for the UK but also the US. It's past time for all the Coalition forces to be out of Iraq by Christmas at the very latest and out of Afghanistan by Easter. We can't keep killing Afghan civilians and calling them Taleban. President Bush knows that no Republican presidential candidate stands a chance of winning the White House if we're still in Iraq by November 2008. He will never be forgiven by his party for such a faux pas and may well use General Protreus's September report to start a phased pull-out. Gordon Brown is in a similar position. He can't win a British general election without an Iraq withdrawal - and indeed it seems increasingly likely an Afghan withdrawal - as he knows the Conservatives have the beating of him on Europe and his denial of a referendum to the British people on the Reform Treaty which is the ill-fated EU Constitution in all but name. Let's call a Middle East conference and leave the Islamists and Turkey to it.

Dr David Green, Athens, Greece

“Hey, wait a minute. You Brits owe us one or two, don't you?” ... actually NO we don’t. It may come as a surprise to most Americans but we finished paying you back for your LOAN from WWII in November 2006.

Americans shouldn’t keep droning on about how we owe you. We owe the Russians just as much. Don’t be too proud about WWII ... you did dig us out but you sat a lot of it out ... only joining when YOU were attacked by the Japanese.

I love America and I very much like American people but interestingly if I want to live in the US I’m not welcome although Irish people are (via the green card lottery). What does that say about our relationship?

Having said that I agree with the war on terror although immigration and guaranteed breeding through arranged marriage will mean the whole of Europe will be Islamic in 200 years. I don’t fancy our chances of claiming asylum in the US.

So James from Vegas ... can you speak Japanese?

Barry, Sheffield, UK

There is a strong possibility that a sensible answer to Iraq will result from Brown's meeting with Bush. Even from his short time in power he has shown himself to be a statesman and not an opportunist such as Blair. It is not a question of whether to admit defeat on the invasion but when. Brown will most likely suggest how. Bush will grasp at any straw offered to him from outside his own circle of fiends - sorry - friends. Blair - foolishly - gave the US the credibility of Great Britain and encouraged him to make war. If he does not go along with GB now he will soon realise that that credibility has been withdrawn.

CRL Child, Ajaccio, Corsica

The threat of terrorism, like global warming, is real. If we really wanted to stop terrorism, the first thing we might do is stop being terrorists ourselves. By definition, there is no doubt, that like Hitler, we instigated a War of Aggression on those WHO DID NOT attack us. Further, most of the so-called "insurgent" deaths are civilians - women and children, whether through cluster bombs, cruise missiles, DU-tipped munitions or phosphorous bombs. What is deliberately-targetting civilians called, I wonder (question).

Secondly, we should stop doing things that cause terrorism - like putting huge military bases in Saudi Arabia, torturing arabs, attacking their lands and supporting Israel over the Palestinians. This is what causes terrorism.

If you don't believe that we, ourselves, are terrorists, then I can only suggest you look up the definition of terrorism.

I do not think our biased "hatred" toward the unelected and Katrina president is unwarranted.

Bruce Conway, Victoria, BC CANADA

We Americans are not afraid of the Brits cutting and running for the elephant grass. Victory is in sight and we are staying the course, I would hope. As a Veteran of the Tet Offensive 1968, I for one know the consequences of a hasty retreat. Well, on second thought, George Bush could work a Nobel Peace Prize out of this one, if we did pull out. Wouldn't that tick off the liberals!

Henry, Warrenton, Missouri

Brown is pathetic. England is lost and its her own fault. I grew up inEngland. Thank Gog my Father worked hard and moved our familly to the greatest country in the world.
God bless our troops, God Bless this country, and God help England.

Michelle Marshall, Long Beach, CA

Please, as a Brit living in America, not that you need much encouragement.....but why would you listen to Nixon's 1A, Henry Kissinger. And basically, the US has no leverage on this. Why would Gordon Brown care what the Cheney administration has to say? No one hear believes a word we hear from them. If you want to retain any sort of credibility, distance yourself as far as possible from anyone even loosely associated with the Snarl administration.

Todd, Corona, CA

Britain should get its troops out now and leave "Bush's Folly" to Bush. It's just not worth the lives of your soldiers.

Bruce L. Northwood, Washington, D.C., USA

Britain doesn't need any more long-term damage to its international standing by holding hands with Washinton as the USA stumbles arrogantly into another débacle (Iran or Pakistan next time?).
Hillary Clinton and the Democrat party are neocon lite and whoever gets into the White House at the next election is practically irrelevant as far as peace and security in Britain, Europe and the rest of the world are concerned.
Our lot is NOT with either of the USA parties or the US citizens - they serve their own masters and follow their own greedy, foolish agendas and they've made their bed...) it's with Europe, the Commonwealth and our historical global ties that we need to renew contact and co-operation. The disgusting mess in the USA is long-term and its not our business.

Timothy King, Norwich, UK

I'm a fellow from Chile, living in Santiago of Chile.

How come, after so long time, the same story come again...how many people have to die to learn. We want to keep the safety of all the people involved in the conflict, spceally those who are right now in irak. Let's get the intelligence to think abut the conecuences before making it. The damage it's done. Let's think for a minute in the families.

The best

Daniel Prohens, Santiago, Chile

Dayahka, although, I agree with what you say about Islam and education in the past, Islam has also brought all this killing , terror and death to the world today. I think you will find that muslims are killing more muslims than anyone else, think on that. One thing I also wish to point out is that when you meet anyone in the "west" or so called christian world, the last thing you will ever find out about them is their religion, there is more to their lives and their lives are not continually dominated by their religion. It is generally a private thing, America being an exception in some cases . Islam evolved in a time where it was helpful and needed but has not moved ahead with the times, even Roman Catholicism updates to reflect the changing times and aspirations of its followers, albeit under duress and slower than it should. It is however time you all wakened up and see that religion is man made and nothing to do with any god or dubious prophets, then we may have some peace. Well??

Dave Madley, Alicante, Spain

As I see it we have two options. The first is to cease the fighting and remove the primary reason for the conflict, our dependence on oil. As Jackson Wallace points out this would require committment to alternative energy sources but would yield long term security.
The second is to continue with the war but as a total war using all weapons our disposal. Islamic terrorists wish to fight an asymetric war hiding in civilian populations. Logically the only way to combat this is to eliminate those populations. The west undoubtedly has the means to do this many times over. Again this would provide a long term solution to the problem.
The first solution is clearly preferrable but will take just as much political will as the second. What we cannot do is continue with this calamitous middle path.

steve, reading, England

From one American to the new British "leadership", I will usurp the sentiments of a famous Englishman.

"You have sat too long here for any good you have been doing. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go."

Oliver Cromwell

Good Luck Brits.

Johnny USA, Philadelphia, USA

Charles Martell who won the battle of Poitiers (that's in France for those Texan's who use the term Cheese Eating Surrender Monkey's all the time), which meant that Europe did not adopt Islam as it's major religion. Incidentally, more Americans are descended from Germans than any other European nation, therefore what is your problem with the Germans (as many of you are strictly speaking American-Germans). Grace Kelly's mum was of German descent, Fred Astaire (Austrian descent), Lauren Bacall, William Boeing (planes anyone?), Chrysler and George Custer.

Jon Kingsbury, Southampton, UK

Iraq needs to stablized before the further withdrawal of troops, so the children of Iraq will have a decent future. Premature withdrawal of troops will ensure contiuation of bloodshed in this region.

If premature troop withdrawal occurs, Iraq will plunge into a civil a civil war. This confict would spill over the borders of Iraq and become a regional conflict. Turkey, Iran, and Suadi Arabia would send troops into Iraq to aide its interests. More blood would be spilled, including the blood more innocent children.

Naturally, ''staying the course'' has proven highly ineffective; premature withdrawal will not be much better. Other options are available. To bring stability to Iraq, these options need to be further explored.

The children of Iraq once lived in relative peace, despite the hardships of the Hussein regime. The coaliton broke this system of relative peace. Now, it needs to repair it, so the children of Iraq will have a decent future.

Robert, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

The only reason we're still in Iraq is more to show that the Americans are not there alone. Our being there is not helping the situation. This hardly seems like a good use of British lives. The Bush administration has shown it cannot stabilise the middle-east, if that was ever it's intention. Best to ignore its interests and start playing the long game.

Normalising the situation in Afghanistan should be the priority for now.

The situation in Iraq will have to deteriorate a lot further before the people of Iraq and the greater international community will commit to sorting it out.

Unfortunately, it's going to be a complete mess and will not be contained in Iraq. Having a stable Afghanistan with an independent voice (ie showing it isn't a western puppet) will go a long way in giving us some credibility.

Chris, London, Uk

Memo to Richard Brown. Had it not been for the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbour, it is doubtful if the US had even "pulled in" on Winnie. As usual , the Yanks arrived late in the day.
The sooner British troops are pulled out of Iraq and Afghanistan, the better. If Blair, Bush, or Brown had sons or daughters serving in these ill-conceived adventures, they would not even have started.

Robbo, Penrith, Cumbria

Reed, Phoenix, usa.
Typical american opinion.
The Iraq war should never have happenned, Osama Bin Laden is an islamic fanatic. Sadam Hussein was an islamic rebel. Yet 95% of americans can't make that distinction.
When America catches up with the 'world'-the real world not just america- then your populants will know such differences.
Come out with your opinion when you have eradicated poverty and racism in america. When you can't get such basics right, who are you as a nation to enforce your opinion on the rest of the world?

B Sandhu, twickenham, london

It's time we all remember our history lessons...
nations that invade other nations, whether that reason be a noble one, or one of ambition, are doomed to failure.

fred, boston, ma/usa

I tire of the almost glorified ignorance of some of the US contributors here - those who belong to the 'You owe us', 'You'd be speaking German if it weren't for us' and 'Start learning Farsi' brigade. It is truly a shame that their grasp of modern history is so tentative. Unfortunately it seems to be reinforced by the barrage of unquestioned nonsense which flows from some US political commentators and those who create the news-agenda.

Until such time as individuals like these can take a step back and re-evaluate the situation with a detachment they seem currently unable to adopt, we may well continue in this cycle of failure in Iraq which serves no-one.

Fortunately there appear to be as many voices of reason in the US as there are rabid lunatics. Others need to take a breath, and recognise that if the UK follows a different path from the US it is not by default some sort of treacherous betrayal. There are such things as shades of grey, but it takes wisdom to recognise them.

Alistair Huston, London,

Good for our Brit friends if they pull out of Iraq.

Bush's Iraq war was based on lies, ignorance, and arrogance. He cares nothing for our soldiers, and your's either. He has validated to Muslims worldwide that we are their blood enemy, giving Bin Laden the greatest propaganda victory in history.

And of course, Bin Laden is still free, and Iraq has become an endless hell of bombings and murders, and a training ground for Jihadists who now are conducting daily bombings in Nuclear armed Pakistan.

George Bush, Dick Cheney and the whole authoritarian neo-fascists of this American administration care only to save their own skin. The best thing that could happen would be an immediate collapse of the Iraqi government, total chaos there, and then perhaps the world and the American public will give this Bush Administration the boot, and save us from becoming what in all likelyhood looks like a fascist state run for the greed of the super-rich. The world can't afford George Bush!!

Aren Henley, Washington, Dc

To David Nilsson;
Referring to Abraham Lincoln as "war mongering" proves you know nothing about US history and you should hesitate to make that fact known to everyone reading your misinformed comments.

Ann, New York,

21st Century Britain under the firm hand of PM Gordon Brown -"Run away, Run away!!!"

RonP, London,

No we don't. This is just fabricated news.

Cory Di Geronimo, Miami Beach, FL

I think it unlikely there will be any direct military attack on Iran by the US for the UK to support. My guess is that Israel will take action against the nuclear sites in 2008 and that Iran will retaliate against western interests throughout the Gulf region. Once that kind of war starts there is only one side that the US, and indeed the UK , can possibly be on.

Bush knows this and I very much doubt he will actively start a war with Iran, and Brown does as well. When Gulf War 3 starts up the old alliance will be back together - like it or not - because this will be the definitive war which will be formative for the whole of the century.

David Fielden, Camberley, UK

Muslim scholars ? Thats a contradiction in terms. No matter, its good to know that your culture peaked during the Dark Ages. Its been downhill from there.

Greg, Rome, Italy

It;s just so difficult to admit that you are wrong or have made a terrible mistake.. Let the Iraq people decide for themselves; whether they can live together or not instead of imposing your will on them.. Men especially religious men have great pride and usually will not want to be told what they should be doing...

kenl2020, Selangor, Malaysia

You Brits better wake up and smell the coffee..your future is bleek. Sharia law, Farsi and women in burquas are closer than you think. Your country was already taken over way before Bush& Iraq yet all you Brits can do is crucify him. No guts, No glory, No Country. So start practicing your Farsi - you are all gonna need it.

Mac, Roseville, california

Where do these people get the idea that the Iraqis need to be trained to be soldiers? There had soldiers there and even their children knew how to use weapons. They fought an eight year war with Iran, didn't they? And they invaded Kuwait too didn't they?
They are making fools of the Brits and the Americans by pretending not to know anything about soldiering. If they are that stupid how then do the resistance survives all these years? This is but a sad excuse to keep on being in Iraq.

bravotango, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Don't give in to appeasement Britain

Van, Santa Fe, New Mexico

I don't believe the UK actually owes the US anything for WW2 - we paid the last of the war loans a few years ago...

We also paid in advance for some clapped subs and destroyers that the USA were about to scrap in the early forties with a few Carribean Islands.

So no I don't think we owe you...

In fact I think you profited quite well...

Marc, Seoul , Korea

Here we go with the Liberal Bush's failed policy nonsense. Well, Liberals, when we do pull out of Iraq, who will take responsibility for the slaughter to come. What if we have not confronted Sebia when they went on their bloodbath. Liberals can't think beyond their hate for Bush. If we doo pull out, and a slaughter ensues, the Liberlas will justfy it by say "we should not have gone in there the first place." If we do decide to pull out, I hope it spells the end of Nato. If the Euopreans ( not UK). would have supportedd us from the begging when presuure was being put on Saddam, this war would not have started. But, their financial interests came first.

Reed, Phoenix, US

Brown is in the horns of a small dilemma. Much will depend on his decision about the date for a General Election. If he hints to Bush that the UK is leaving Iraq fairly soon then there is to be an election fairly soon; if he has decided on a later election then he doesn't have to say much to Bush in the short term.

Brown appears to believe that the alliance will be stronger when there is a Democrat in the White House and he will do nothing to damage Democrat prospects. Brown is a sharp political operator; he'll do nothing to damage his standing with the British public or the Democrats.

Malcolm, Fredonia, North Dakota USA

In respose to Dayahka's comment. I am not sure that British forces are 'slaughtering' the people of Iraq. I think by policing Iraq we are trying to prevent millitants slaughtering their own people. It is time for Iraq to stand on its own feet, however, I hope that this Brown government does not give the impression of running away without finishing the job. Whether Brown agreed with the war or not, he inherited it, he owes the people of Iraq the correct support and must remember he has a duty to them as well as the British people.

Andrew Edwards, Cheltenham, UK

Historically speaking i can't recall a single ideoligical crisis which the united states has been involved in that it has ever resolved using force.
Much as i admire the American people and their desire to make world a better place they are just too clumsy and innocent. ...The UK has a better record at these sort of situations perhaps because it brings pragmatism to 'unsolvable' problems .. Malaya, Mau Mau, and more recently northern Ireland are examples. ... the Ideal partnership would be for the brits to provide the brains and the Americans the brawn .. but of course this will never happen and we will forever be condemned to watching Uncle Sam stumbling around the world stirring up hornets nests and then going home when the political situation stateside gets too tough for the incumbent president !

andy, Lyon, France

British Prime MinisterTony Blair has been the number one enabler of this fool's errand in Iraq that has wasted the lives of so many young American and British soldiers and heaped unspeakable misery on countless Iraqi civilians for no good reason.

Thank God he is finally gone. And in less than two years our warmonger President will also be finished. A British pull out from this debacle is welcome- even in the USA- and is long overdue.

I am just happy to know that Britain has finally gotten the kind of leadership that is courageous enough to tell Bush that the jig is up.

When the UK leaves Iraq, Bush will no longer be able to justify this crime against humanity-or call the massive American presence there a "mutinational force" with a straight face.

Regrettably, it will take at least 30 years to repair the damage to our nation's reputation in the world community. and dissipate the hatred Bush has stirred up all over the world.

dan cucich, atlanta, Georgia, USA

I reckon that the best and most elegant facesaving tactic is to "declare victory" (eventhough that's just a farce), publish a lot of upbeat stories (which to some exrent is already hapening) and subsequently get out of the mess. At least many gullible people will initially believe such a ploy and very much later find out that it was just a gimmick.

Tom, Christchurch, New Zealand

To Chris from La Chapelle, France.

"...three quarters of American voters still believe that Saddam was involved in 9/11."

Where on Earth did you get this statistic from? Please give me a source, if you really have one. If Americans truly believed this, then don't you think most Americans would still support the Iraq war?

Mike, Columbus, USA

JC, Houston, Texas,
You seem to have a simple mind. What happened in 911 is policy-based and never was values and/or freedom-based as this administration is so desperately wants us to believe.

What happened on 9/11 was tragic by all measures as it is tragic what's going on in Iraq after half a million needless deaths. Those who know better with any amount of reasoning capability would agree that 9/11 events occurred in response to the US foreign policy - mainly its utter support of the murderous regime in Israel at the expense of the Palestinians. The fact is, if 9/11 terrorists hated freedom as Bush claims, then I hate to tell you that the US wouldn’t have been the first country to be attacked.

Samie, New York, USA

Chris, La Chapelle France,

Typical French mentality and response. I have met Muslims here in Tampa where I live and for your information there was an instructor here at a Tampa University that was fired for alleged extremist activities. Sammi al Arian? Don't act like Muslims are plotting inside your country as well. I know there are good and bad just like in every religion, but excuse me an other Americans for going to the FBI's website and looking at the top most wanted men, and guess what, there all Islamic. You wobviously want to be a typical Frenchman and turn the other cheek and hide and hope bad things wont happen, we happen to wish to stay proactive in this country and stomp out the radical islamic nonsense before it spreads into an uncontrollable cancer. I know that Bush is not popular to almost every country, but I feel at least Americans should show respect that not a single terrorist activity has happened since 9/11 thanks to his strong actions and war on terror.

Chris, Tampa, USA

This delusional myth that America came riding to Britain's rescue out of a sense of loyalty in WW2 is wrong; Germany declared war on the US after the Pearl Harbour attacks. Also I think 27 million dead Russians would have something to say about the notion that the US alone won the second war.
About Iraq and Afghanistan: Iraq is unwinnable thanks to coalition, and specifically Pentagon incompetence. Afghanistan has a chance of being a success if we stop trying to eradicate its poppy and use British Army counter insurgency tactics developed in Malaya and N.I.

Ed, London,

I think it is good that Britain pulls out...Maybe the Bush administration will get some sense and follow likewise.

Mike, Swainsboro, USA/Georgia

Sir,
We have helped the manichean dualists, whether neo-colonialists of the West or East. The petrol so liberally poured upon the fires of Iraq and Afghanistan, will help sate the bloodlust of the killers for a few generations i.e. the GWOT. The dead-enders will cast this withdrawal as a retreat, but the experience of centuries has forged a pragmatic Britain, rather than a simple-minded frontier idealism.

SC, London, United Kingdom

Yeah, last I read, Europe has a good chance of just being the next middle-east. The continent of Europe keeps getting attacked, but yet people still feel like this threat isn't real or warranted. I think people's biased hated toward GWB, and maybe America too, are blinding them from thinking rationally. This thing is real, it's not some conspiracy.

Sadly too many Americans are falling prey to this style of thinking. That the threat of terrorism isn't really a big deal, or worth defending -- and it's going to cost us the hard way. Hold onto your seats, the next 20 years are certainly going to get interesting.

Tim, Jax, FL

Its time for the UK to give up its tradition of Imperialism. Yes they did lose citizens in 9/11, but to ride on American coattails and allow Washington to dictate their foreign policy is ridiculous. No wonder Blair was called "Bush's Poodle".
The UK needs to strike out on its own and deal with the Osama problem in the proper manner. Wasting time, money and soldiers in Iraq is not it.

Steve Savage, Tulsa, Ok, USA

British opinion is an interesting thing. There is no British "lapdog" mentality here; there is no "American Hegemony" in most Americans' vision. There is only a practicality of our own state's interests... and that is an interest which the U.K. shares. So goes one of us, so goes the other, like it or not.

Yes, I applaud the idea of withdrawing from Iraq. It is a useless adventure. We both need to get our troops out, rebuild our militaries, retrain and get ready for a greater conflict that is surely coming. We won't have to ask for it -- it will come to us sooner than later.

We need to assess what has happened in Iraq. We need to reaffrim our nations' bonds and stand fast and prepare for the coming storm.

James P, Sacramento, California

Unfortunately the British Army is not big enough to fight two
significant campaigns at the same time. Therefore in my view
3rd Commandoe Brigade and 16 Air-assault Brigade should be given responsibility for Iraq, that is 8 battlegroups that could
be rotated through two at a time and put under American
command to be used where needed. This would leave our
five Armoured/Mechanised Brigades which would be rotated
through Afghanistan. America would be kept on side, British
forces withdrawn from Southern-Iraq and more forces
available for Afghanistan. Britain currently has two battalions
of Gurkhas, this should be increased to four immediately to
give us more reserves in case of a third crisis.

Philip, Dorset, England

We Americans can only play The "You owe us" card for so long. World War 2 was 50 odd years ago. Instead, Maybe we should try to have the same guts the Brits displayed then. And be able to exercise their uncommon good sense during the terrorist attacks. They didn't panic. They never do. Not fiftty years ago , not during the IRA attacks, not now. Maybe we should learn something from them.

Bill, Olympia, USA / WA

To Richard Brown, Cazenovia, NY and James, Las Vegas, USA:

No one in the UK is going to deny the great part the USA played in World War Two, but let's not forget basic facts:

1. The USA had, since prior to World War 1, pursued an essentially isolationist international policy. The USA was quite happy to sit back and let the "poor old Brits" stand alone against the "wacky Ayrans", content in the view that the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean respectively would provide ample natural deterrent to any foreign aggressor. Until, sometime in December 1941 the USA was shocked out of that complacency by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour. Prior to 1941, American involvement in World War 2 was essentially nil. The reason that the UK is not "speaking German" now is due to a small band of ordinary young men in the Royal Air Force who daily fell screaming out of the sky in burning planes to preserve UK freedoms.

2. What tangible benefit has the UK gained from supporting the USA in Iraq so far?

Cutter, Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Pathetic, politicians with no brains only a desire to do what gets the most votes... Anyone in their right mind would know regime change never works...

Perhaps George Bush, Clinton and Blair shouldn't have consulted whichever God they look to to assist in their decision making and gone with that..

I detest religion and the chaos it causes to world peace perhaps if we got these god fearing politicians round a table with the muslims, sikhs, jews buddhists etc to have a debate about whose is the true religion then they might grasp it.

Life started with a big bang !

The way the god fearing politicians are going it will end with one soon as well.

Still no one ever said you had to be intelligient to be a politician.

Adam, Solihull, UK West Mids

--A more relevant fact is that some three quarters of American voters still believe that Saddam was involved in 9/11. Starting major wars on the basis of infantile prejucides backed up by no knowledge is not, dear children, a good idea.

Chris, La Chapelle, France--

Chris old chap, I hate to break it to you but that little nugget is a piece of propaganda put out by the far left websites and ill informed journalists. Sadly many will not question such statements but will accept what suits their prejudices.

Viv, London, England

The British Army is surrounded in Basra Palace unable to get outside the gates while their supply lines take losses trying to get to them.

What is the purpose of this? I suppose it "sends a signal" to some group such as the American right wingers and Bush & Co. that they have not been totally abandoned in the sands of Iraq.

These poor British soldiers are getting shot at 10 times a day and cannot do anything about it. They are just sitting ducks for anyone who wants to make a point or take out their anger that day. Shoot off a few rockets in their direction. So to the British soldiers in Basra Palace: dig deep fox holes and get at least three layers of overhead cover. With Bush's approval ratings in the 20's he needs you to stick it out for him.

Lawrence, Paris, France

There is a fundamental question lacking in American society today: "Why are the gross majority of Americans unhappy with a war, yet unwilling to do anything to alter the situation"? As an American, it is baffling to see a majority of Americans unhappy with a war, yet unwilling to take the initiative to bring about change. Brits and Europeans alike must understand why: in the average day-to-day life of an American, where he/she lives thousands of miles away from ANY conflict, this war does not affect their personal lives. This administration relies on this, and the fact that most Americans are apathetic, or simply disinterested in politics in order to wage this war. Unless majority-will in America is re-awoken, America's foreign policy will continue to be guided by those in power who seek conflict, lucrative contracts, and have imperialistic tendencies. It will not be guided by a majority of citizens who disagree with this war. I thought I lived in a representative Democracy...

Alex, Guilford, Connecticut, USA

I am totally against this war but the fact of the matter is we are there. It's time to deal with reality and not with debate. I wish like so many people that we could all up and leave but I afraid that is not possible. It would be a castatropic diaster within the whole of the Middle East.

In order for Iraq to be a success story, we have to say the D-word....Draft! And implement a 3 phase plan.There needs to be at least 300,000 troops in total, in Iraq. Bring the country into a total lock down. Weed out the undesirble elements, let's say the "foreign parties" involved. Once that objective is complete then you focus on rebuiding the infrastruce, the economy etc; and bring a sense of normality back to the country by creating jobs etc

Then and only then should the next objective be to establish political institutions. Free speech, the right to vote, don't mean diddly when you don't have bread and butter on the table or order in the streets. Did we not learn from the former USSR?

Mark King, Dahlonega, GA , USA

Iraqi & Afghani freedom-fighters/resistance-fighters will keep fighting those that occupy their lands, it's a natural reaction. Westerners would do the same. Iraqis/Afghanis have no reason to believe that American's have come to help their countries from al-qaeda terrorists. During the last five years of wars their countries have been totally destroyed, hundreds of thousands of innocent people have died and millions have been displaced. Nothing have been accomplished in terms of re-building their countries/economies. I don't blame them for fighting until their last remaining Iraqi/Afghani fighter, with help from thousands of foreign fighters pouring in. There is no such thing as victory for US, they'll just keep losing their soldiers until American public's patience/finance runs out. This story is a repeat of Vietnam. My advice to Britain is a complete pull-out now, before we lose one more British soldier.

Mohammed, London, UK

it doesnt matter what the USA wants tony blair sold us out to them and we will never forgive him for it mr brown will most likely try to do the same thing regardless of what he is saying right now he is just as bad if not worse than blair but we the british public (atleast the majority of us) want nothing to do with your disgusting wars we dont trust the US government all that the US government has done is make the world a worse place to live in and it continues to try to make it even worse.

ian, cardiff, wales

This illegal and immoral war will end sooner or later with defeat for US / UK forces, whether Gordon Brown decides to withdraw now or not - that has always been history's verdict on wars like these. What is most important is if the leaders who led us into this disaster will be arrested and tried for war crimes and genocide against the Iraqi people.

Fil Munas, Pittsburg, Illinois, USA

Distancing oneself from the failed Bush Administration and distancing oneself from the United States are two very different approaches.

George Bush has 18 more months in office and then will be gone, consigned to the ashbin of history. Likely as not, a Democrat will be elected president, more than likely that Democrat will be Hillary Clinton.

Mrs. Clinton will work things out with Mr. Brown and the two should get along famously. Count on it. Better times are ahead.

Robert Dare, Clinton, Missouri, USA

"You could have chosen cowardice, or war. You chose cowardice, and so
now you shall have war anyway."
~~ Winston Churchill
"You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word. It is victory.Victory at all costs. Victory in spite of all terrors. Victory,however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival."
~~ Prime Minister Winston Churchill "Still, if you will not fight for the right when you can easily win
without bloodshed; if you will not fight when your victory will be
sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have
to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of
survival. There may even be a worse case; you may have to fight when
there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to
live as slaves."
~~ Winston Churchill

Sam, New York, USA

I believe the Imperial plan is in place. That being "staying the course" in the Middle East, ratcheting up the bloodbath, expanding it into Syria, Lebanon and Iran, while encouraging the most radical elements of Islam to fester in the Western world. Those citizens who were not "with us" will now "see the light", opening the door for tactical nuclear annihilation of the citizenry of oil rich regions and permanent control of that oil. That is why we will not leave Iraq anytime soon. In fact, it has been said recently that this is just the beginning. The transnational corporations are too close to their dreams and and the neocons have stated that history from here on, will be created by them.

Mary, Scarborough, Maine, USA

I will not curse you Brits as some here will want to do, if you quit. I will not hate you for being scared. America is not perfect and, as a nation, has made mistakes. But, I can guarantee you one thing: if you quit, we will be the last moral nation. If the Democrats win, we will not even be that.

So, quit if you will. We will continue, for a while, while we still can, to fight for all our freedom.

But heed this warning. If we withdraw from Iraq, as the Democrats smile and lie and talk of peace, will will also withdraw from Europe. It's already in the works. They are riding the tiger and don't know how to get off. Then, you will truly know what it's like to be afraid. And alone.

Dick, the Anglophile, Greenville, SC, USA

<i>Let's not forget that it was Muslim scholars who kept learning alive and that gave Europe a way of escaping its thousand-year dark ages four or five hundred years ago.</I.

and just why did Greek Civilisation collapse in Alexandria ? Could it be anything to do with Muslim destruction of the Library ? Isn't it the case that Islam swept across the region and destroyed Greek Civilisation ?

TomTom, Leeds, England

Yes, Dahkaya, a thousand years ago, Islam was a force for good. What happened?

"As far as Iraq is concerned, what can occupying it and slaughtering the people there do to stop the Islamization of Europe?"

Well, it's Islamists slaughtering the Muslim peoples of Iraq, not Americans or the British. 'We' are being killed because we are trying to stop Muslims from murdering other Muslims. 'We' could withdraw and let them have at it. I suspect, however, that someone in the 'West' will be blamed because Islam lost its way.

M. Fernandez, San Francisco,

Yes, Britons, you can have "Peace in your time"......

Build another mosque, celebrate your "diversity"..... In 10 years from now, your relatives will be asking "why didn't we see this coming."

Not wishing for your demise.......just deeply lamenting it.

Rich, New Braunfels, Texas, USA

Saddam bluffed about WMDs. We called him on the bluff. Thank you UK for the sacrifices you made. Although no two countries will have the same exact foreign policies, I hope both the UK and the US can keep their citizens safe.

Joseph, NCY, USA

I hope Britain is smarter than the United States and leaves Iraq as soon as possible. The United States is robbing its people of a future with this never ending war. The poor in the United States are growing in number with more children with no medical care and not enough food. To pursue this war the government has turned its back on the American people. We have not rebuilt New Orleans, we have no plan for sufficient health care and our roads and infastructure are failing. Do not get caught up in this folly and its continued course of war with Syria and Iran. I truly believe our leaders are crazy.

Lucy Emery, South Bend, Indiana

Oh please with this they owe us one. Remember for 4yrs we let the UK down because our attitude was it's "Europe's war".

The UK should stay the course because it is in their best self interest. Everyone needs to defeat the ideas these psychos have. The problem is they have so many breeding grounds in the ME because of these backwards regimes just the communist have tried in South America.

It's like forcing someone to love you it don't work. It has to remain a coalition of the willing. Those who are willing are there because they understand what's at stake.

Scott, Palm Harbor, Florida

Commenting on views by JC, Houston, Texas. The Untied States must remember we lost many British citizens in 911. And have over the last 30 years we have been targeted by many group including the IRA who were allowed to freely raise money for error in New York and many other states in the US. We also have much more experience in running an empire Including Iraq, Iran and most of the Middle East. This war cannot be won by bombs. We can only win with peace. Why today is the US giving more aid for weapons in Israel?

ian thomas, london, uk

Gordon Brown has waited a long time to become PM. If anyone in the Bush adminstration thinks he is going to throw it away by backing a neo-con attack on Iran then they are even more deluded than usual.

Richard Flax, Oxford,

Sorry but UK is pulling out the only debate is timescale, we simply do not have the forces for both Iraq and Afghanistan and Afghanistan is more important.

We no longer have the clout to seriously influence how a campaign is fought, and that has allegedly been shown in Iraq, allegedly we were against most of the "mistakes" in the early days, disbanding the Iraqi army, deBaathification and counter-insurgency strategy instead of a force protection and counter force strategy, but Rumsfeld and Bush did it anyway.

To the yanks commenting about support in WW1 and 2, well I hate to tell you but it is ancient history and you were well paid, We started with a worldwide Empire we lost it paying debts to you. You turned up late on both occasions, we were there at the beginning supportting you in Korea, Gulf War 1 and 2, where were you in Suez, or Aden, or Malaya, or Kenya. How about you tell us when the next war is going to end, we can turn up for the last year like you!

Dan, Oxford, UK

As someone who has served the US Army on Iraq, I can only hope that Brown decides to pull his troops out of Iraq. I believe that would be the final straw in ending this war. If we no longer have our biggest allies on our side, the Republicans in D.C. will have to face the facts that this war is doomed.

Jon Doe, Baghdad , Iraq

I hear constantly that it will take years for America to correct foreign policy mistakes made by this current administration. What I'm afraid many people don't get is that some mistakes are unfixable, and it's quite likely that America will NEVER fix the mistakes that this administration has made. The bottom line is this war has inevitably changed the image and capabilities for America to project it's will around the world. It's just going to take a period of time for American 'leaders' to figure it out.

Bill, Baltimore, United States

The quality of arguments adumbrated by Bush and the neocons' few remaining dupes is so pitiful that these slack-jawed rubes would do better to remain strong, silent types.

As a previous American warmonger-president remarked, you can indeed fool some of the people all of the time, and no amount of failure and derision will shake them. But that does not mean that the United Kingdom is obliged to shackle itself to the failing Titan and lend our meagre assistance to its idiotic crusades against Scary Muslim bogeymen.

The sooner we adopt a Swedish or Swiss attitude the better.

David L Nilsson, London, Occupied England

US fears that Brown wants Iraq pull-out

Insert "hopes" for "fears" and you have a better representation of what the people actually want.

Larry, Buckingham,

It's time.

Doug Rubel, Orlando, USA

So, the UK is about to bolt from the fight, eh? Just like the US bolted from Europe when the fighting got too tough in 1944, right? No, wait a minute. That's not right.

Stephen A., Manchester, NH USA

I will never forget the way that Tony Blair came to Washington after 9/11 and the way he stood with us even when things got tough in Iraq. These are tough times. We can either see them through or endure even tougher times later. The urge to run is felt on both sides of the Atlantic. Hopefully, we will both do what is in our long term interest rather than opting for temporary relief. I have no doubt that the British people are just as tough as we are at our best.

A few years ago, when these threats first surfaced, one of your countrymen said: "What they must remember is that we are not Spain. We are a great warrior nation that has fought many wars and won almost all of them." Amen.

John Hinton, Stone Mountain, Georgia, USA

lets hope that we get the boys out of Iraq as quickly as possible. Too many have died for nothing. It's sickening to see a great nation like ours bow down to the yanks, to see our wonderful country become the 51st state of the usa.
Troops out now and Rule Britannia.

louis, godalming, surrey, england

Please please please pull out of Iraq. The American people as a whole do not fear the UK pulling out. We encourage it as it may help open the eyes of our own inept president to do the same. Of course Bush may not say "You're doing a good job Brownie", but the American people who want us to leave Iraq will be more then happy.

Proud American, OVERLAND PARK, USA/ Kansas

Right from the beginning of his first term as President, GWB has always stressed that he will do what he feels is best fot the U.S.A. GB should make it unmistakably clear to him that he intends to follow his host's example and do what is best for Britain. He should be very careful not to do anything that will earn him, as it did TB, the sobriquet of "Bush's poodl" or "Bush's lapdog". And if the Americans don't like this, they can do the other thing.

akai ringo, Tokyo,

It is just so depressing to read this American gung-ho nonsense, written by people who have probably never met a Muslim. The Iraq war was not about 'Islamo-fascism', a term which was invented later to justify it, and more than it was about weapons of mass destruction. A more relevant fact is that some three quarters of American voters still believe that Saddam was involved in 9/11. Starting major wars on the basis of infantile prejucides backed up by no knowledge is not, dear children, a good idea.

Chris, La Chapelle, France

The fact is Saddam Hussein had nothing to do with 9/11 and even President Bush has said so. Many people protested against this was and were not listened to and now look at the mess that has been created. Oh and the way if it wasn't for us Brits all you Americans would now be speaking French.

Simon Hex, London, United Kingdom

As usual the mere mention of the fact that the UK is considering a withdrawal from Iraq invokes a storm of 'hey you're lucky you don't speak German etc' and what about the 'islamic threat in your country'. The fact is that strategically speaking, securing Afghanistan is far more important to the UK.

The 'thanks us for WW2' mentality is frankly pathetic. Interesting that if it wasn't for the fact that when the forefathers voted on the language for the new US, that it was English was due to the English immigrants marginally out voting those from Germany. Perhaps it is you who should be thanking us? (this is a joke for those of you currently jumping up and down in Hicksville Mid West)

Niall, London via Washington, DC

Pull out oF Iraq, and immediately start a program of alternative biodiesel and ethanol, as well as massive investment in other forms of eletricity generation inclusing nuclear, which N america has the advantage in with uranium supplies. Just starting these programs would crater the price of oil and teach the pride-crazy Arabs a final lesson. Let them throw off their dictatorships. We can make it as clear as Israel does that nukes are an option if they can't play ball, but they likely will with us gone. This is feasible, but we still have oil companies running the world at everyone else's expense. They need to be shown the door as well.

Jackson Wallace, Portland, USA

Who is doing the killing in Iraq now?? Not the Americans or the British troops! If the troops leave Iraq they will hand over the power to terrorist lowlife to brainwash the Muslim youngsters to commit terror attacks on any part of the world. Brown should not distance Britain from the USA because of Lord Malloch-Brown. This Lord is failed in his position to control corruption, so he faild in his job. We don’t need a failure in a gorvernment. Anybody who thinks Britain is better off with the spineless EU. they are in a dreamland. By the time they wake up Europe’s Islamization will be completed.

Tessa, Swansea, UK

If Britain pulls out we'll be on our own in Iraq. Can we be the world's policeman? I thought we weren't going to do that after Viet Nam?

Charles, Euless, Texas

Great news!! As an American, I , and the vast majority of Americans, want the US out of Iraq and it would be wonderful (and about time) if the British government under PM Brown would make its intention clear to withdraw from such a senseless war.

H. Novas, Scottsdale, AZ, USA

At least the leaders of Great Britain have the intelligence and common sense to listen to that small still voice of the people who want a cessation in the deaths in Iraq. We, Americans, thank the people of Great Britain for being our friends and partners in this not so valiant effort to bring a semblance of democracy to Iraq. The United States current governing regime has made a series of foreign policy blunders that America will have to rectify for many, many years. This is one American who wishes to stand with the Britis people for international peace and an end to this most barbaric of wars.

Glen W. Livingston, Portland, Oregon

It looks as though now the stage is set for Gordon Brown to return from the USA next week with his tail between his legs?

Michael Blatchford, Bath, UK

The Islamo-Fascist movement must be crushed where ever it appears. Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, etal. We are in the midst of World War III, whether the peacenik lefties know it or not.

God Bless America and her "loyal" allies. The question is whether Great Britain is still one of those loyal allies.

Gregory Martinez, Commack, USA, NY

Gentlemen--"We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately- Benjamin Franklin, 1776

Hope You Brits remember this quote many moons ago.
It still applies. Muslim psychopaths' relentless onslaught on your freedoms are at a fever pitch and they will not stop until you have your own 911.

Sharia Law, Islamic State?---HELL NO!

JC, Houston, Texas

Hopefully Britain's unwillingness to pursue the failed policies in Iraq will bring further pressure the United States to pull out its forces from Iraq. Yet, if the US remains committed to the quest in Iraq the US troops will pay an even heavier burden in Iraq. This being said the United States must act affirmatively in one way or the other. It seems as if there really isn't a particular policy in Iraq other than a bloody civil war, that we are caught in the crossfire of.

WilliamsNPT, Newport, KY

Hey, wait a minute. You Brits owe us one or two, don't you? If it wasn't for us, you'd all be speaking German right now. If you abandon us in Iraq, we're going to remember it the next time those wacky Aryans decide to go west again.

James, Las Vegas, USA

Fear may be too strong a word. I think the U.S. realizes that Britain is over-stretched in Iraq and their contribution of lesser and lesser import. America understands that the relationship that Tony Blair's government had with the U.S. is over and that Gordon Brown will follow a different path.

Gus, Atlanta, USA

Gee, aren't you glad the US didn't pull out on Winnie?

Richard Brown, Cazenovia, NY

they will do whats best for them an there pocket

william, hamilton, scotland

Admitting that Iraq is militarily compromised and seeking a solution that may be simply withdrawal is just facing facts. Sooner or later facts have to be faced. Brown should stress that point. And, he should start speaking for Europe and not, llike Blair, become an echo of the USA.

Sam Mendez, London, England

Let's not forget that it was Muslim scholars who kept learning alive and that gave Europe a way of escaping its thousand-year dark ages four or five hundred years ago. Now that Islam is in its dark age, maybe Europe can repay the favor and help bring Islam into the modern day...As far as Iraq is concerned, what can occupying it and slaughtering the people there do to stop the Islamization of Europe?

Dayahka, Aberdeen, USA

“President Bush and prime minister Brown don’t need a photo-opportunity of the two of them heading off into the sunset holding hands to prove that the US-UK relationship is as strong as ever,” a British official said.

Oh that is great stuff... I am sure all our friends across the pond in the UK were happy to see Bush holding poodle's leash as they ran into the sunset.

Roger, Pottsville, PA, USA

Many years ago a Prime Minister correctly and astutely observed that Great Britain has neither eternal friends nor eternal enemies but rather eternal interests. The Unites States would do well to remember this. Albert Einstein once observed that an operational definition of insanity is to keep repeating the same actions and expecting a different result.

While there a number of complex and serious geo-political/socio-economic factors involved in the mid-east, it appears that these almost exclusively affect the [profits of] transnational corporations. It does not appear that these are of any great importance to the typical western citizen, and any internal terror problems can be easily prevented by mass deportation of unreliable population elements, a prohibition on travel to Islamic countries, much as done with Cuba and China during the cold war, and a total embargo on the admission of new persons from Islamic countries.

George McDuffee, Coffeyville, USA/Kansas

The best service the UK can be to the people of the US right now is to firmly press in private for an early end to the Iraq fiasco, and withdrawal of troops.

The next best service is to let Bush know the UK will not support a US military attack on Iran, which appears to be in the planning stages right now. Over half our warships are off the iranian coast, and every straw in the wind is reminiscent of the build-up to Iraq.

Bush still has 18 months to create disasters, and there is no indication he is hesitant in doing so.

Randy Phillips, Shiloh, United States

Well there is one way to look at it... You might need all the troops at home to defend from the Islamists that are very quickly taking over your country right under your noses. Wake up or you soon be under sharia law convert or DIE. Have you awakened yet? Probably not........

Scotty, Essex,