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Army chief defends Iraq comments Army chief defends Iraq comments
(about 2 hours later)
The head of the British army has defended his call for UK troops to withdraw from Iraq "sometime soon". The head of the British army has defended his comments that UK troops "exacerbate" security problems in Iraq and should withdraw "sometime soon".
General Sir Richard Dannatt told the BBC he aimed to "speak up for what is right for the Army" but denied a "chasm" with government. General Sir Richard Dannatt said he backed "what is right for the Army" and denied a "chasm" with the government.
The Chief of the General Staff told the Daily Mail the presence of UK troops "exacerbates the security problems". Downing Street said the general had Tony Blair's full support, and the Iraqi government wanted troops there.
Downing Street said troops were in Iraq "at the express wish" of the Iraqi government and under a UN mandate. A spokesman for the Iraqi president said the departure of multi-national troops now "would be a disaster".
Meanwhile, anti-war campaigners have welcomed Sir Richard's comments and praised him for speaking out. 'See this through'
Sir Richard told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme his comments in the newspaper interview about Iraq "were neither substantially new or substantially newsworthy". In a Daily Mail interview, Sir Richard, who took on his role in August, said UK troops should "get ourselves out sometime soon because our presence exacerbates the security problems".
'Hoo-ha' I don't say that the difficulties we are experiencing round the world are caused by our presence in Iraq but undoubtedly our presence in Iraq exacerbates them General Sir Richard Dannatt href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=4262&edition=1" class="">Send us your comments href="/1/hi/uk/6046446.stm" class="">Reaction to general's call href="/1/hi/uk/6046888.stm" class="">Gen Sir Richard's quotes
"It was never my intention to have this hoo-ha which people have thoroughly enjoyed overnight in trying to suggest there is a chasm between myself as head of the Army and the prime minister or between myself as head of the Army and the secretary of state for defence," he said. He also said: "I don't say that the difficulties we are experiencing round the world are caused by our presence in Iraq but undoubtedly our presence in Iraq exacerbates them."
Sir Richard also explained what he meant about pulling out of Iraq "sometime soon". And he said planning for what happened after the initial successful war military offensive was "poor, probably based more on optimism than sound planning".
"Given that we've been in Iraq for some three and half years now, quite a long length of time, and that's put a fair pressure on ourselves - as indeed it's putting a pressure on our coalition partners - then when the mission is substantially done we should leave," he said. He later told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme that when he talked about pulling out of Iraq "sometime soon", he meant "then when the mission is substantially done we should leave".
He added: "We don't want to be there another two, three, four, five years. We've got to think about this in terms of a reasonable length of time." "We don't want to be there another two, three, four, five years. We've got to think about this in terms of a reasonable length of time."
"I don't say that the difficulties we are experiencing round the world are caused by our presence in Iraq but undoubtedly our presence in Iraq exacerbates them General Sir Richard Dannatt Send us your comments Reaction to general's call Gen Sir Richard's quotes
Sir Richard added that UK troops "were making progress", and out of four provinces they had looked after in the south east, two had been handed over to Iraqi control.
He said this and progress within the remaining two provinces meant "already our responsibilities are much reduced".
He said the view that the presence of UK troops "exacerbates" the problems was "not right across the country", but in parts of it.He said the view that the presence of UK troops "exacerbates" the problems was "not right across the country", but in parts of it.
'Presence helping' And he later said in a statement: "I'm a soldier - we don't do surrender, we don't pull down white flags. We will remain in southern Iraq until the job is done - we're going to see this through."
For example he said a lot of British soldiers were "doing a really good job" in Basra and trying to improve the situation. 'Still needed'
He added: " In that regard their presence is helping - but there are other parts where our mere presence does exacerbate and because we're there, we're attacked," he said. Downing Street queried the way the chief of the General Staff's original statements, in the Daily Mail, were presented.
The remarks had been part of a "general background interview" authorised by the Defence Secretary Des Browne, he added. A spokesman said Sir Richard was "actually saying what government policy is.
In his Daily Mail interview, Sir Richard, who took on his role in August, also said planning for what happened after the initial successful war military offensive was "poor, probably based more on optimism than sound planning". "We don't want to be there any longer than we have to, but ultimately that is a decision for the Iraqi government."
He said: "I don't say that the difficulties we are experiencing round the world are caused by our presence in Iraq but undoubtedly our presence in Iraq exacerbates them." The spokesman for Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Kamran Karadahi, said: "They are still needed very much to help Iraq. The British troops in the south have done a very good job and are still doing so."
He added: "We do not believe the presence of multi-national troops is really the reason for the violence. It is the insurgents, terrorists, al-Qaeda etcetera."
"We - the Iraqi government, the British, and the multi-national forces (MNF) have the shared goal of helping democracy to succeed in Iraq, and this is very important."
Most of the British forces in Iraq are based in BasraMost of the British forces in Iraq are based in Basra
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said Britain had "a clear strategy" and worked with international partners "in support of the democratically elected government of Iraq, under a clear UN mandate".A Ministry of Defence spokesman said Britain had "a clear strategy" and worked with international partners "in support of the democratically elected government of Iraq, under a clear UN mandate".
And Downing Street issued a short statement in response to the general's comments. The former Conservative Defence Secretary, Sir Malcolm Rifkind, said: "What he said was actually blindingly obvious and what the vast majority or people would also agree with".
It said: "It's important that people remember that we are in Iraq at the express wish of the democratically elected Iraqi government, to support them under the mandate of a UN resolution."
Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Menzies Campbell, called such an intervention by a senior military figure "unprecedented" and said the government had an "overwhelming obligation" to listen to him.Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Menzies Campbell, called such an intervention by a senior military figure "unprecedented" and said the government had an "overwhelming obligation" to listen to him.
Sir Menzies also said on Radio 4's Today programme: "Has not the government's position been undermined? And when he says 'soon' in relation to Britain withdrawing should that not now be measured in a matter of months rather than years?" Anti-war campaigners welcomed Sir Richard's comments.
Sir Richard has received praise for coming forward. Rose Gentle, whose soldier son was killed in Iraq, said: "I'm just really delighted that Sir Richard Dannatt has stood up and spoken out. He is protecting our boys."
Major General Patrick Cordingly, who commanded the Desert Rats during the 1991 Gulf War, said: "I think it is a very brave thing for him to say. I do agree. I think there comes a time when you have got to let Iraq get on and look after its own security."
Rose Gentle, whose soldier son was killed in Iraq, said: "I'm just really delighted that Sir Richard Dannatt has stood up and spoken out. He is protecting our boys.
"We have been saying for two years this needed to happen and I think military families have done a good bit."
There are currently more than 7,000 British soldiers in Iraq, based largely in Basra in the south of the country. Since the invasion in 2003, 119 British troops have been killed, most of them in southern Iraq.There are currently more than 7,000 British soldiers in Iraq, based largely in Basra in the south of the country. Since the invasion in 2003, 119 British troops have been killed, most of them in southern Iraq.