When the British army was posted to Basra, Iraq, they took with them a certain amount of arrogance that they knew best in how to handle the issues there.
Whilst the US were in favour of playing hard-ball, the British preferred instead to adopt the softly-softly approach they had used in Northern Ireland.
So rather than protect themselves with body armour, helmets and goggles, the British wore berets, no body armour and limited means of defence.
No one bothered to point out to the British they were fighting in Northern Ireland for more than 30 years and it was only in the last decade that a political solution was achieved.
The British are slated to depart Basra early 2008 and it seems in readiness for what will be a bloody event, the US is already blaming the British for never having been an effective force in Basra.
In fact, a US adviser claims the British undermined the US surge. Perhaps it is a report due by September 15 from the commanding US general in Iraq, David Petraeus, which emboldens the Americans to speak out so.
It gives a ready answer to those who may ask why the surge is not working.
