Blair hints British troops could start to pull out of Iraq next year
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-12-23 09:23

British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Thursday hinted that British troops could start to pull out of Iraq next year, as the ability of Iraq's security and police forces is improving.

According to Reuters, Blair made the signal during a surprise visit to British forces stationed near Basra, Iraq's southern city. This was Blair's fourth trip to Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

Good progress had been made in training Iraqi security and police forces to protect the country, Blair said, but adding the British troops' withdrawal would still depend on the ability of Iraqis to manage the country's security.

"This is a completely different situation from the situation a year ago ... If everything goes to plan. It is our strategy, we want to draw down our own forces," he told reporters at Shaiba logistics base near Basra.

"You don't set an arbitrary timetable. You assess when the job is done," he added.

Blair's comments echoed earlier reports by British newspapers.

The Times reported last Tuesday that British and American troops could begin withdrawing from Iraq as long as a permanent government was installed in Baghdad. The Sun predicted that the evacuation process could begin in May next year.

Earlier Thursday, sources from the British Consulate told Xinhua that Blair flew to Basra from Kuwait on a trip not disclosed in advance and intended to thank the 8,000 British troops stationed in Basra ahead of Christmas.