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/6046822.stm
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Army chief defends Iraq comments | Army chief defends Iraq comments |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The head of the British army has defended his call for UK troops to withdraw from Iraq "sometime soon". | |
| Chief of the General Staff Sir Richard Dannatt told the BBC he aimed to "speak up for what is right for the Army" and denied a "chasm" with government. | |
| In an interview with the Daily Mail, he said the presence of UK troops in Iraq "exacerbates the security problems". | In an interview with the Daily Mail, he said the presence of UK troops in Iraq "exacerbates the security problems". |
| Downing Street said troops were in Iraq "at the express wish" of the Iraqi government and under a UN mandate. | Downing Street said troops were in Iraq "at the express wish" of the Iraqi government and under a UN mandate. |
| Meanwhile, anti-war campaigners have welcomed Sir Richard's comments and praised him for speaking out. | Meanwhile, anti-war campaigners have welcomed Sir Richard's comments and praised him for speaking out. |
| Sir Richard told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme his comments in the newspaper interview about Iraq "were neither substantially new or substantially newsworthy". | Sir Richard told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme his comments in the newspaper interview about Iraq "were neither substantially new or substantially newsworthy". |
| 'Hoo-ha' | 'Hoo-ha' |
| "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. | "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. |
| Sir Richard also explained what he meant about pulling out of Iraq "sometime soon". | Sir Richard also explained what he meant about pulling out of Iraq "sometime soon". |
| "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. | "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 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." | 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." |
| Sir Richard added that UK troops "were making progress", and out of four provinces they had looked after in the south, two had been handed over to Iraqi control. | Sir Richard added that UK troops "were making progress", and out of four provinces they had looked after in the south, 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 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' | 'Presence helping' |
| For example he said a lot of British soldiers were "doing a really good job" in Basra and trying to improve the situation. | For example he said a lot of British soldiers were "doing a really good job" in Basra and trying to improve the situation. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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". | 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". |
| 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." |
| "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 Dannatt Send us your comments Reaction to general's call Profile: Sir Richard Dannatt | "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 Dannatt Send us your comments Reaction to general's call Profile: Sir Richard Dannatt |
| 'Not invited in' | 'Not invited in' |
| 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." | 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." |
| Sir Richard told the newspaper: "We are in a Muslim country and Muslims' views of foreigners in their country are quite clear. | Sir Richard told the newspaper: "We are in a Muslim country and Muslims' views of foreigners in their country are quite clear. |
| "As a foreigner, you can be welcomed by being invited in a country, but we weren't invited certainly by those in Iraq at the time." | "As a foreigner, you can be welcomed by being invited in a country, but we weren't invited certainly by those in Iraq at the time." |
| He added: "Whatever consent we may have had in the first place, may have turned to tolerance and has largely turned to intolerance." | He added: "Whatever consent we may have had in the first place, may have turned to tolerance and has largely turned to intolerance." |
| Downing Street issued a short statement in response to the general's comments. | Downing Street issued a short statement in response to the general's comments. |
| 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." | 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." |
| Most of the British forces in Iraq are based in Basra | |
| However, Sir Richard has received praise for coming forward. | However, Sir Richard has received praise for coming forward. |
| Major Patrick Cordingly 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." | Major Patrick Cordingly 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. | 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." | "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. |