The U.S. and Iraq = now fast friends. Britain and Iraq? Not so much

[Undertoad]

This is not about how you feel about the war, but about how Iraqis feel about it. Strangely nobody pays them much heed. But they are decidedly a part of the equation. What are Iraqis saying?

British Deal With al-Sadr Betrayed Iraqi People

Originally Posted by Iraq the Model blog

The news about a secret deal between the British and anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr did not come as a surprise to us. Britain’s war policy has been clear for the past several years: the country demonstrated no readiness to make sustained efforts in a prolonged war, nor did it act as a serious partner determined to win the conflict.

What secret deal?

'Secret deal' with Iraqi militia kept British troops out of battle for Basra

Originally Posted by Daily Mail

Britain struck a 'secret deal' with an Iranian-backed militia which prevented UK forces from intervening in the bloody battle for Basra, it was claimed yesterday.

U.S. and Iraqi military chiefs suggested that British troops had failed to come to their aid for six days because of the 'accommodation'.

The claim came as a spokesman for the radical Mahdi Army, the main group opposing American forces in Iraq, confirmed that the militia's leader Moqtada al-Sadr wants to disarm and transform his organisation into a social movement.

Bitter street battles involving mortar fire, rockets and roadside bombs claimed the lives of about 60 Iraqi soldiers and an American marine in March during Operation Charge of the Knights, which ultimately resulted in militias being driven from the city.

Is it true? Don't know, it is a Mail story. But this is not a post about the facts; this is a post about Iraqi attitudes, which now turn away from the Brits. The Iraqis again:

Originally Posted by Iraq the Model

As residents of Basra for a year, we recall how the people perceived British troops. Basically people felt the British were both weak and largely indifferent to the situation. To the militias, that was seen as a golden chance to consolidate their power and take over the city; while among the ordinary people, it dealt a blow to morale and was a reason that people had little — if any — trust in the British.
...
If the British truly don’t see themselves as part of the war, it would’ve been better for everyone to have the British admit it and tell the Americans and Iraqis that they wanted out. Then we would’ve thanked them for what they did, gave them a nice send-off, and struck them off the list of reliable allies, just like Spain.

Bolding mine: it's what would have been the Iraqi opinion, if the Brits just left when the politics turned sour. By staying and losing resolve, and thus making it more of a mess, Britain and Iraq won't end up allies at all, nonetheless unreliable ones.

Being involved in the conflict and backing down = one step forward, two steps back, and the worst possible outcome for Britain.