Suppose political pressures force them to decline?

Quote of note:

But critics, some in the Labor Party, questioned why Washington thought the redeployment of a small number of British troops was so vital at this time.

"I and many others ... do not take kindly to the idea that we are being engaged with President Bush and the Pentagon in order to bail them out," said Labor parliamentarian Dennis Skinner.

Britain Considers U.S. Request for Iraq Troop Help
Mon Oct 18, 2004 01:18 PM ET
By Katherine Baldwin

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain said Monday it will respond soon to a U.S. request to send troops to more dangerous areas of Iraq, a politically charged issue that has revived anger over Prime Minister Tony Blair's support for the war.

"The U.S. request is for a limited number of UK ground forces to be made available to relieve U.S. forces, to allow them in turn to participate in further operations elsewhere in Iraq to maintain the continuing pressure on terrorists," Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon told parliament.

Hoon said British troops would not be required in the flashpoint areas of Baghdad or Falluja.

Government sources said officials were expected to make a final assessment on the U.S. request in days.

Asked by a parliamentarian about the consequences of turning Washington down, Hoon said: "There will be no penalty but we will have failed in our duty as an ally."

The prospect of British troops becoming more embroiled in what many in Britain see as an increasingly chaotic situation in Iraq has sparked a political row and fears of a sharp rise in British military casualties.

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I've been following this story with interest. I particularly liked this report:

Gen Walker, the most senior officer in the Armed Forces, is said to be concerned that the Army should not be "bounced" into sending troops into Baghdad simply because the Americans have sustained more casualties than the British.

A Ministry of Defence official said that the Chief of the Defence Staff and other senior officers were worried that deploying the Black Watch, which is the divisional reserve for southern Iraq, to Baghdad would leave British troops vulnerable to another uprising by insurgents.

A senior Army officer said: "There is a certain amount of concern that this is a politically driven military operation and that does not rest easily with soldiers.

"Soldiers accept that they have to undertake dangerous operations in war, they accept that they might be killed or injured, but it is completely unacceptable if they are being sent to Baghdad to help George Bush win the next election."

Sounds like Blair might be on board, but hardly anybody else is, even his own generals.

Posted by  Al-Muhajabah on October 18, 2004 - 9:27pm.