Street children in Philippines and World.

In this documentary produced for the BBC World Service, the BBC’s Stephen Grey is privy to the inner workings of British troops in Iraq. In this half-hour, he tracks them through the election period, and into the beginning of 2006..

Cybele Arnaud

Britain has been America’s closest ally in Iraq since the war began in 2003. Early on, they seized the city of Basra, and other parts of Southern Iraq. Today, most of the British forces in Iraq are stationed in Basra. Our BBC correspondent is given exclusive access to British troops in Basra. Listen, as he does, to the sounds of soldiers on patrol, and Brigadiers in command. They’re called The Desert Rats.

Cybele Arnaud