Our Opposition Can Prevent The Replacement Of The Black Watch

• Black Watch Soldiers Likely To Be Targeted, Likely To Be Replaced By Scots Guards At Christmas;
• British Troop Levels Expected To Rise;
• 61% Of British Adults Oppose Redeployment Of Black Watch

JNV Briefing

Introduction

850 British troops from the Black Watch are moving into central Iraq for 30 days to free up 1000 US soldiers for a planned assault on the rebel town of Fallujah. Leaks from the British forces indicate that political opposition at home could stop the Black Watch being replaced by soldiers from the Scots Guard at the end of their tour of duty in the Iskandariyah triangle.

While the aim of our opposition must be to prevent (and at the very least to limit) the damage which could be done by the threatened assaults on Iraqi towns and cities, it is encouraging to see that protest in this country can affect the planning in the Ministry of Defence, and shake Tony Blair out of at least one commitment he seems to have entered into with Washington. (See end of this briefing for details)