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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Iraqi police disloyal, says chief | Iraqi police disloyal, says chief |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| An Iraqi police chief cannot trust one third of his officers because they are loyal to illegal militias, he has told the BBC. | 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 the BBC's Paul Wood he could not sack them as they had political protection. | 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. |
| 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". |
| But the Iraqis were making a judgement for "self-reliance", he said. | 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. | "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." |
| Torture fears | 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. | 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 | 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 central Basra to the Iraqi authorities. | |
| The Iraqi flag was raised over the Old State building, described as one of the most frequently attacked sites in the country. | |
| Platoon Commander Lieutenant Bradley Pino said soldiers there were shot at with guns, rocket-propelled grenades and mortars every night. | |
| Maj Gen Shaw said Tuesday's pullout from the base reflected a real sense of progress felt by British troops. | |
| 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." |