A friend forwards this statement from a while ago by the British Defense Secretary in the House of Commons on the situation in southern Iraq:

When I visited Iraq three weeks ago, I was briefed in detail upon the Iraqi plan for improving security in Basra by General Mohan, the commander of the Iraqi Security Forces in Basra. General Mohan then visited Baghdad the following week to present this same plan to the Government of Iraq for endorsement. Prime Minister Maliki formally announced his intention to accelerate the implementation of the plan at a meeting on Sunday 23 March – where both the US and the UK were represented at a very senior level. […]

Since last Tuesday, the Iraqi Security Forces have been conducting cordon and strike operations against criminal elements across Basra, supported by efforts to encourage militias to give up their medium and heavy weapons. An operation of this kind in a challenging urban environment was never likely to produce immediate success, and the Iraqi Defence Minister Abd-al Qader has acknowledged the strength of resistance the Iraqi Security Forces have faced. But Iraqi operations continue and the Government of Iraq is making steady progress in achieving its aims of ensuring respect for the rule of law by all parties and factions. Muqtada al-Sadr’s call on Sunday for his followers to abide by a ceasefire and work with the Government of Iraq to achieve security is a demonstration of this.

It is too early to give a definitive or detailed assessment of how the operation has gone overall – and it would be quite wrong to seek to do so while the Iraqi Security Forces continue to conduct their operations in Basra and elsewhere. The situation remains fluid, although levels of fighting in Basra have reduced since the weekend. […]

In October, we announced our intentions for drawing down UK troops from southern Iraq, from over 5,000 at the time of the announcement, to around 2,500 by the spring, dependent on conditions on the ground and military advice. At the end of the year, when UK forces moved into the overwatch role in the last province of Basra, we reduced force numbers to around 4,500. Since then, numbers have been reduced further, to their current levels of around 4,000.

Before the events of the last week, the emerging military advice, based on our assessment of current conditions, was that further reductions might not be possible at the rate envisaged in the October announcement – although it remains our clear direction of travel. In the light of the last week’s events, however, it is prudent that we pause any further reductions while the current situation is unfolding. It is absolutely right that military commanders review plans when the conditions on the ground change. I am sure, Mr Speaker, that Honourable Members would not expect us to do otherwise.

So at this stage we intend to keep our forces at their current levels of around 4,000 as we work with our coalition partners and with the Iraqis to assess future requirements. I would expect to be able to update the House on force levels later this month.

Mr Speaker, what is happening in Basra is a manifestation of our policy to give Iraqis control of their own security. That road will not always be smooth. It will require political and economic progress, and reconciliation, as well as military action […]

Read the whole statement here.