LONDON, May 17 (UPI) -- Britain and the United States have expedited plans to begin bringing troops home from Iraq, The Times of London reported Monday.
Sunday's briefing from British government sources marked a clear of shift of emphasis, with an urgency to show citizens in both countries there is a definite "exit strategy."
The new strategy, discussed by senior officials in Washington and London over the weekend, came as both countries accepted that Iraq would be given full sovereignty on July 1. In an example of Blair's quiet influence on Bush, suggestions from Washington of only partial sovereignty have been dropped, the newspaper said.
A senior official told The Times that an important "gear change" was taking place. "We are not about to cut and run. But the aim is to have a strategy which enables the Iraqis to take control as quickly as possible and allows us to leave as soon as possible."
The first indication of the new approach came on Friday when U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, Straw and other coalition ministers said that forces would leave if the Iraqi interim government asked them to on July 1.
