The war in Iraq is finally winding down -- at least for the Brits. British forces have officially handed over control of the southern Iraqi city of Basra to the Iraqi government after unofficially declaring victory and deciding it was time to leave.

Basra was the last of four provinces placed under control of British forces at the start of the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003 that overthrew the regime of Saddam Hussein.

At the outset, British troops in Iraq adopted a very different approach than that of U.S. forces. Hoping to win the trust and support of the local population, troops from the United Kingdom initially took to patrolling the streets of cities and towns under their control without wearing body armor and Kevlar helmets, unlike their American counterparts.

However, the initial honeymoon – if there ever was one in the first place – between the Brits and the mostly Shiite inhabitants of southern Iraq was short-lived. The presence of heavily armed pro-Iranian militias saw to it that life for the foreign troops in the country could never become a simple affair.

Indeed, within a relatively short time British forces operating in the southern part of the country found themselves in a situation reminiscent of the worst days of Belfast, and then some.

British soldiers in the Basra region began to change their tactics, adopting more of a Belfast mentality, barricading themselves behind strongly fortified positions, limiting their interaction with the local population, and abandoning the region under their control to the Shiite militias.

The handover by the British of Iraq's second-largest city to the Iraqi government does not really change much on the ground. Control under British jurisdiction had long slipped away, with Shiite militias assuming greater say. Sunday's handover of Basra was more symbolic than strategic. The British contingent serving in Basra had already been redeployed from the city to the airport as of last September.

British press reports indicate that troops are likely to stay cantoned around Basra airport for the foreseeable future. In principal, they are supposed to be available to intervene in a support function to back-up Iraqi military and police, as needed, although analysts question if the number of troops remaining are sufficient to fulfill that function.

The current numbers of British troops left serving in the Basra area is about 4,500. That number will be further cut back to around 2,500 by next spring. British officials say they now see the role of their forces as changing from active combat and security operational duties to assuming a more supporting role, such as training Iraqi forces.

On leaving Basra, the British have handed over responsibility to maintain order to the Iraqi military and police forces. But, analysts question whether the Iraqi government will be up to the task. A major hurdle facing Iraqi security forces there will surface soon enough when they are forced to confront Shiite militias in the area who are said to be better armed.

In London, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown told the House of Commons that violence has fallen by 90 percent in Basra. But according to the Independent newspaper violence against British troops has fallen, but not violence directed at Iraqis.

Sunni Muslims and Christians continue to be the target of sectarian cleansing by Shiite militias who do not shy from imposing their version of justice. According to the Independent, citing official sources, more than 40 women accused of behaving in an "irreligious" way have been murdered in recent months.

In fact, violence against British forces dropped markedly chiefly due to the British pulling out of the area; initially withdrawing from the city streets to the confines of Saddam's former palace, and ultimately retreating to the airport.

"UK presence is little more than incidental in Basra for the Shia militias who are concentrating on getting hold of the spoils of war, especially the region's oil wealth," reports the Independent.

The war in Iraq may be coming to a close for British forces but it remains far from over for the average Iraqi.