Read Pat Dollard's site today and see if what I have been saying for a while isn't about to become true: the Iraq Army is very close to being the best in the Middle East. Most well equipped by far, the best trained and led, and the toughest. Iran is right to be afraid. Very afraid. The Iraqis have just knocked off an area in Basra that the Brits failed to occupy, not that they want to fight, but they are the Brits and the Iraqi Army has shown them up big time. From The Times online:

Many here blame the British for allowing the al-Mahdi Army and other militias to impose a long reign of terror on the once cosmopolitan city. (later in piece)
The British have been unable to bask in even the partial success of the battle. Having abruptly decided to take on the militias after years of appeasing them, Mr al-Maliki’s first venture on to the battlefield was plagued by desertions from his security forces and stronger than expected resistance. Outfought, he called on US forces for support rather than the 4,100 British troops who have barely left their base at Basra airfield.

The Brits are as necessary as tits on an ice pick.