“Britain’s eight years of military commitment in Iraq will finally and formally come to an end on Sunday [May 22, 2011], when the remaining forces in the south of the country will withdraw. The announcement to bring to an end one of the most controversial military campaigns in recent history was made on Wednesday [May 18, 2011] in a statement to the Commons by the defence secretary, Liam Fox. In total, the UK still has about 170 mostly naval personnel in Iraq, helping to train the fledgling Iraqi navy from the port of Umm Qasr.”
– Nick Hopkins, “UK’s Eight-Year Military Presence in Iraq to End on Sunday,” The Guardian, May 18, 2011