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Blair 'agrees' with UK army chief Blair gives backing to Army chief
(about 2 hours later)
Tony Blair has said he agrees with "every word" the new head of the British Army said on the Iraq war. Tony Blair has given his support to the new head of the UK army, who has made controversial comments on the Iraq war.
The Daily Mail quoted General Sir Richard Dannatt as saying he thought UK troops "exacerbated" security problems and should withdraw "sometime soon". General Sir Richard Dannatt is quoted in the Daily Mail saying British troops "exacerbated" Iraq's security problems and should withdraw "sometime soon".
Mr Blair said transcripts of later radio interviews showed Sir Richard was saying "the same as we all are". The general later told BBC Radio 4 he meant that troops should leave "when the mission is substantially done".
He said they wanted to exit Iraq "when the job is done", and to remove troops when no longer needed in certain areas. Mr Blair said Sir Richard was saying "the same as we all are", but had been taken out of context in the newspaper.
In the 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". In the Daily Mail interview, Sir Richard, who took on his role in August, said British troops should "get ourselves out sometime soon because our presence exacerbates the security problems".
And he said planning for what happened after the initial military offensive was "poor, probably based more on optimism than sound planning".And he said planning for what happened after the initial military offensive was "poor, probably based more on optimism than sound planning".
I've said the same myself Tony Blair Sir Richard's quotes
He later told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that when he talked about pulling out of Iraq "sometime soon", he meant "when the mission is substantially done, we should leave".He later told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that when he talked about pulling out of Iraq "sometime soon", he meant "when the mission is substantially done, we should leave".
And he said the view that the presence of UK troops exacerbates the problems was "not right across the country", but in parts of it.And he said the view that the presence of UK troops exacerbates the problems was "not right across the country", but in parts of it.
The intention was "particularly to speak up for what is right for the Army," he said. "That is my job. That is my constituency". His intention was to "speak up for what is right for the Army" because that was his job, he said.
BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner said Sir Richard's remarks were little different from what other officers had been saying in private.BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner said Sir Richard's remarks were little different from what other officers had been saying in private.
I've said the same myself Tony Blair Sir Richard's quotes
But the comments had given added urgency to finding an early and effective exit strategy, our correspondent said.But the comments had given added urgency to finding an early and effective exit strategy, our correspondent said.
In Basra, Maj Gen Ali Hammadi, the Iraqi security co-ordinator, has told BBC's Newsnight that if the British stopped arrest operations in the city, the level of violence there would drop by 80%.
'Proper context''Proper context'
Speaking in St Andrews at the end of talks on Northern Ireland, the prime minister said the reason the government had been able to so far give up two provinces to Iraqi control was "precisely because the job has been done there". The prime minister said two provinces had already been handed back to the Iraqis "precisely because the job has been done there".
He refused to be drawn on whether he agreed with quotes from Sir Richard published in the Daily Mail, saying only that later TV and radio interviews given by the general were more in context. Mr Blair said he suspected Sir Richard had given a long interview to the Daily Mail and had then been taken out of context.
But he added: "I've read his transcript of his interview on the radio this morning, and I agree with every word of it."
Tony Blair says he agrees with Sir Richard Dannatt's commentsTony Blair says he agrees with Sir Richard Dannatt's comments
On the transcripts of those interviews Mr Blair said: "I agree with every word of it." Mr Blair said the general had set "in proper context" what he was saying during the Today programme interview.
"He sets in proper context what he is actually saying. What he is saying about wanting the British forces out of Iraq is precisely the same as we're all saying. Our strategy is to withdraw from Iraq when the job is done." "What he is saying about wanting the British forces out of Iraq is precisely the same as we're all saying. Our strategy is to withdraw from Iraq when the job is done."
Mr Blair said when Sir Richard talked about the troops' presence exacerbating problems in Iraq, he thought he was "absolutely right".Mr Blair said when Sir Richard talked about the troops' presence exacerbating problems in Iraq, he thought he was "absolutely right".
"I've said the same myself, in circumstances where the Iraqis are ready to take over control of areas and we're still there.""I've said the same myself, in circumstances where the Iraqis are ready to take over control of areas and we're still there."
In places like Basra, the presence of British troops was still "absolutely necessary", he said.In places like Basra, the presence of British troops was still "absolutely necessary", he said.
Mr Blair told the press conference he had received a "report" about the Daily Mail article on Thursday night, and Sir Richard was "plainly not" saying that troops should be withdrawn from Iraq now. Mr Blair told the press conference he had received a "report" about the Daily Mail article on Thursday night, and Sir Richard was "plainly not" saying that troops should be withdrawn from Iraq immediately.
Iraqi responseIraqi response
A spokesman for the Iraqi president said the departure of multi-national troops now "would be a disaster". A spokesman for Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said the departure of multi-national troops now "would be a disaster".
Iraq's ambassador to Britain, Dr Salah al-Shaikhly, said British soldiers were close to completing their mission.Iraq's ambassador to Britain, Dr Salah al-Shaikhly, said British soldiers were close to completing their mission.
"You've done marvellous in terms of the development, you've done marvellously in terms of keeping the security," he said."You've done marvellous in terms of the development, you've done marvellously in terms of keeping the security," he said.
White House spokesman Tony Snow said the United States had sought clarification on Sir Richard's comments.White House spokesman Tony Snow said the United States had sought clarification on Sir Richard's comments.
"What he said is that the comment was taken out of context and his general point was that you know when your work is done you hand over authority to the Iraqis.""What he said is that the comment was taken out of context and his general point was that you know when your work is done you hand over authority to the Iraqis."
Mr Blair said he "suspected" Sir Richard had given a long interview with the Daily Mail, and that some of his comments had been taken out of context. In Basra, Maj Gen Ali Hammadi, the Iraqi security co-ordinator, has told BBC's Newsnight that if the British stopped arrest operations in the city, the level of violence there would drop by 80%.