This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/6472153.stm

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Iraqi police disloyal, says chief Iraqi police disloyal, says chief
(about 2 hours later)
An Iraqi police chief has told the BBC he cannot trust one third of his officers because they are loyal to illegal militias. An Iraqi police chief cannot trust one third of his officers because they are loyal to illegal militias, he has told the BBC.
General Abdul Hussein Al Saffe, head of policing in Dhi Qhar province, told BBC correspondent Paul Wood that many of his officers were disloyal. General Abdul Hussein Al Saffe, head of policing in Dhi Qhar province, told the BBC's Paul Wood he could not sack them as they had political protection.
They could not be sacked because they had political protection, he added.
British commander Maj Gen Jonathan Shaw said Iraqi ministers knew the police were "not perfect".British commander Maj Gen Jonathan Shaw said Iraqi ministers knew the police were "not perfect".
"There's always a balance when you have a newly created police force and army," Maj Gen Shaw told the BBC. But the Iraqis were making a judgement for "self-reliance", he said.
"There's always a balance when you have a newly created police force and army," he said.
"It's a question of balancing Iraqi enthusiasm for self-reliance with the risk of when the are capable of taking that responsibility, and that judgement really has to be made by Iraqis, which they are doing.""It's a question of balancing Iraqi enthusiasm for self-reliance with the risk of when the are capable of taking that responsibility, and that judgement really has to be made by Iraqis, which they are doing."
But another senior Iraqi officer, Brigadier General Ghalib al Jaza'aere, said he had been forced to hire 300-400 officers who were completely illiterate. Torture fears
Another senior Iraqi officer, Brigadier General Ghalib al Jaza'aere, said he had been forced to hire 300-400 officers who were completely illiterate.
There is a level of violence here, but that is life in Iraq. It's been like this for thousands of years. It's not going to change Colonel Ed Brown Struggle for security
And he said one policeman had been sacked after he was caught smuggling weapons to be used against British troops, only to be later re-instated and promoted by officials in Baghdad.And he said one policeman had been sacked after he was caught smuggling weapons to be used against British troops, only to be later re-instated and promoted by officials in Baghdad.
He even said he feared some members of the police were using torture as they had done under Saddam Hussein.He even said he feared some members of the police were using torture as they had done under Saddam Hussein.
The officers' comments came as the British handed over their base in the Old State building in central Basra to the Iraqi authorities.The officers' comments came as the British handed over their base in the Old State building in central Basra to the Iraqi authorities.
Maj Gen Jonathan Shaw, commander in southern Iraq, said the move reflected a real sense of progress felt by British troops.Maj Gen Jonathan Shaw, commander in southern Iraq, said the move reflected a real sense of progress felt by British troops.
There is a level of violence here, but that is life in Iraq. It's been like this for thousands of years. It's not going to change Colonel Ed Brown Struggle for security
They were, he told the BBC's Huw Edwards, involved in reconstruction, removing corrupt elements and training Iraqi forces.They were, he told the BBC's Huw Edwards, involved in reconstruction, removing corrupt elements and training Iraqi forces.
"They can actually see what we're achieving on a daily basis," he added."They can actually see what we're achieving on a daily basis," he added.
'Not Surrey''Not Surrey'
The British army say Dhi Qhar province is a success story and point out that it is home to the biggest single development project in Iraq, a new gas pumping station costing £10 million.The British army say Dhi Qhar province is a success story and point out that it is home to the biggest single development project in Iraq, a new gas pumping station costing £10 million.
Colonel Ed Brown, from the Rifles Regiment, is charged with "strategic oversight" of the now fully independent Iraqi forces in Dhi Qhar and neighbouring Muthana province.Colonel Ed Brown, from the Rifles Regiment, is charged with "strategic oversight" of the now fully independent Iraqi forces in Dhi Qhar and neighbouring Muthana province.
He said he had been asked by the Iraqi police for help in dealing with the militia, but had refused.He said he had been asked by the Iraqi police for help in dealing with the militia, but had refused.
Col Brown told the BBC: "What we must do as coalition forces is to give as much support as we can without actually taking back the responsibility for security because it is very clearly theirs.Col Brown told the BBC: "What we must do as coalition forces is to give as much support as we can without actually taking back the responsibility for security because it is very clearly theirs.
"Things are imperfect, but we make a huge mistake, and we will move down a road that will end in real failure, if we try and turn this into Surrey. It isn't."Things are imperfect, but we make a huge mistake, and we will move down a road that will end in real failure, if we try and turn this into Surrey. It isn't.
"There is a level of violence here, but that is life in Iraq. It's been like this for thousands of years. It's not going to change.""There is a level of violence here, but that is life in Iraq. It's been like this for thousands of years. It's not going to change."