British PM Blair pays surprise visit to Iraq
(AP)
Updated: 2005-12-22 16:56

British Prime Minister Tony Blair arrived in southern Iraq Thursday on a surprise visit to British troops.

The pre-Christmas visit _ Blair's fourth trip to Iraq since the 2003 invasion _ was intended partly to thank the 8,000 British troops, who will be away from home over the holiday period.

At home, Blair has been dogged by questions about how long they will remain in Iraq.

Blair flew into Basra from Kuwait aboard a British military plane on a trip not disclosed in advance for security reasons.

Blair was due to be briefed by senior British and American officials, including U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad; the senior British officer in Iraq, Gen. Nick Houghton; and Gen. George Casey, the U.S. military commander in the country, on Iraq's still-parlous security situation and the outcome of last week's national election.

The administrations in Washington and London, facing persistent domestic opposition to the war, hope the ballot will produce a stable government and pave the way for the withdrawal of some American and British troops.