Maliki snubbed U.K. in Basra

BASRA, Iraq, April 10 (UPI) -- The relationship between Britain and Iraq soured over the fight in Basra as the Iraqi prime minister shunned British forces favoring American help instead.

British forces are stationed in Basra, securing and monitoring the southern port city throughout most of the war. But the Iraqi government opted to call 550 U.S. troops into the fight to help Iraqi national forces fight Shiite militias there instead, The Times of London said Thursday.

Top British military officials lauded the fact that British troops remained at their base at Basra International Airport outside the main city, saying it showed that Iraqi security forces could stand alone. But the Times says that when a top British military official went to Basra for a situational update, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki refused to met with him.

The Times quotes an unnamed source saying Maliki held a certain level of animosity for the British because of a deal between Baghdad and Shiite militias allowing the British military to withdraw to their base unscathed in exchange for the release of several militiamen from prison.

British forces eventually entered the fight in Basra providing some air support for Iraqi security forces and are now deployed as embedded military advisers.

The conflict in Basra prompted British Defense Secretary Des Browne to postpone a scheduled drawdown in British forces and the Times said the conflict ties U.S. and British forces to the southern Iraqi provinces for the foreseeable future.