The drawdown of the 3,700 British troops will now be accelerated
The United Kingdom has formally ended combat operations in Iraq, six years after joining the American-led invasion of the country. British troops conducted their last patrols outside the main coalition base in Basra before formally handing over control to their American counterparts. The drawdown of the 3,700 British troops still in Iraq will now be accelerated, leaving just 400 by July 31. After talks in London with his Iraqi counterpart Nouri al-Maliki, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: “Today we are taking steps to strengthen our relationship and to make it a long-term partnership of equals.”