UK-Iraq-Troop Withdrawal
Prime Minister Gordon Brown Tuesday paved the way for a further drawdown in the number of British troops remaining in Iraq, saying there would be a 'fundamental change' of mission in the first half of next year.

"Just as last year we moved from combat to 'overwatch', we would expect a further fundamental change of mission in the first months of 2009 as we make the transition to a long term bilateral partnership with Iraq," Brown said.

The transition would be 'similar to the normal relationships which our military forces have with other important countries in the region', he suggested in a statement to parliament following his visit to Iraq at the weekend.

Last October, Brown announced withdrawal plans to half the remaining 5,000 troops deployed at Basra airbase by this spring, but the reduction did not fully materialize with some 4,000 still based there.

The postponement followed a flare-up in violence earlier this year and reported US concern about being isolated if the UK pulled out all of its troops.

But in his statement, Brown said that violent incidents across Iraq were at their lowest since 2004 and that Britain was making progress in training Iraqi security forces.

Opposition Conservative leader David Cameron welcomed the announcement but warned against 'making premature announcements about troop withdrawals which cannot be met'.