Brown in Baghdad
- 11 Jun 07, 11:27 AM
BAGHDAD: It's Gordon Brown's first visit to Baghdad. He's been to Iraq before, visiting British troops in Basra but this is his first sight of the Iraqi capital, his first meeting with the political and military leaders here, as well as diplomats.
What is intriguing is that, as is often is the case, these trips are unannounced and we've known for some days but in this particular case we've been asked to keep this secret for many hours. Indeed, it wasn't meant to be until Gordon Brown had left what's known as the Green Zone - the relatively safe international area which is heavily protected in Baghdad - that we could give details of where we are.
But because Iraqi television has now broken the news that the next prime minister is on his first visit here, to the Iraqi capital, we've been given the authority to report the news that he is indeed here now.
During his visit, it's likely that Prime Minister Maliki will want to know whether Gordon Brown will repeat the words of Tony Blair, that it would be wrong to cut and run from this country, and that he's determined to make the same stand as the current prime minister has made and believes that victory in Iraq is crucial.
In briefings that we've had whilst travelling with Gordon Brown he's insisted that today is not the day for him to make any announcements of troop movements or timetables, or indeed into what did go right or go wrong in the past. He said it will be inappropriate while he's meeting and praising British troops here - the few that are in the capital.
Of course, that won't do for Iraqi politicians. They will spot the slightest hesitation and they will angst about that. Only recently, a leading Iraqi politician did express publicly his concern that Gordon Brown might be tempted to withdraw British troops rather earlier than Tony Blair had planned.
If he is not successful in stilling those fears I've no doubt we'll hear about that very quickly from the Iraqi politicians. Though tellingly, there is no joint news conference. There almost always is. There isn't today so we won't get the chance to put that question directly to either Prime Minister Maliki or indeed the two vice presidents from the two Sunni and Shia communities here.
UPDATE: There has been a mortar attack in the international zone in Baghdad. Nine mortars landed in the international zone. Gordon Brown had not yet left the international zone at the time. British journalists travelling with the chancellor heard the attack. Now I know why they were so nervy abut revealing Gordon Brown's visit.
