Iraq's national unity government might be cue for US and Britain to begin troop withdrawals

The likely, but by no means definite announcement later today about the formation of first post-Saddam permanent Iraqi government may be the trigger-point for the United States and Great Britain to begin sending troops home.

From The Times of London:

Tony Blair and President Bush are preparing to hail the formation of Iraq’s first permanent government since the fall of Saddam Hussein today — a development that should finally allow them to begin withdrawing their 140,000 troops from an ever more hostile country.

The two leaders are desperate for a breakthrough after months of relentlessly grim news from Iraq, and hope that a government of national unity will have the strength to take on the Sunni insurgents responsible for thousands of deaths over the past three years.

As darkness fell in Baghdad last night Sunni, Shia and Kurdish politicians were still arguing over the Defence and Interior portfolios, both essential in tackling IraqÂ’s massive security problem.

But Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi Prime Minister, said that despite the wrangling he would still unveil a government of national unity.

Of course, some of those forces might be needed for that country east of Iraq.

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