Report: Britain plans 2009 Iraq pullout

LONDON, July 12 (UPI) -- The British government plans to withdraw most of its troops from Iraq next year after a new U.S. president takes office, The Times of London reported Sunday.

The newspaper, citing defense sources, said only special forces and troops involved in training Iraqi security forces would remain unless the military situation deteriorates sharply.

Defense Secretary Des Browne, in a recent appearance at the Brookings Institution in Washington, said Iraqi forces appeared to be doing a better job than the British of controlling the militias in Basra. He said the British "would still be fighting" if its military had tried the equivalent of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's push in the southern city.

The British have the only significant military force in Iraq besides the U.S. force.