Britain Coordinated Troop Cuts With the US

The British and American defense secretaries say the US was consulted before Britain halved its troops in Iraq, the Los Angeles Times reports, and they agreed southern Iraq was secure enough for the withdrawal. US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the withdrawal was coordinated with US commander Gen. David Petraeus, despite concerns over the cuts from some senior US officials.

Gates' British counterpart insisted there is no link between the UK's withdrawal in Iraq and the British situation in Afghanistan, where more troops are needed. "The decisions we take about Iraq are in response to the circumstances and conditions in Iraq, and those decisions we take about Afghanistan are in response to the circumstances and conditions of Afghanistan," Desmond Browne said. (More Robert Gates stories.)