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Iraqis 'to take charge next year' Iraqis 'to take charge next year'
(about 16 hours later)
The Iraqi army and police should be able to take charge of their own country within a year, Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells has said.The Iraqi army and police should be able to take charge of their own country within a year, Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells has said.
His prediction comes despite British troops being put on standby to help Amara, a city where they have already handed power to Iraqi forces. He said he would be "very surprised" if there were not enough Iraqis trained up to take on coalition forces' work.
Iraq's foreign minister is now calling for a rethink of the power transfer. It comes despite UK troops being put on standby to help Amara, where power has been handed to Iraqi forces.
But Mr Howells told BBC Radio Five Live the Iraqis would be able to take over from the coalition within a year. Defence Secretary Des Browne said he thought southern Iraq could be handed over within 12 months.
He said: "I would have thought that certainly within a year or so there'll be adequate trained Iraqi soldiers and security forces, policemen and women and so on, in order to do the job. Mr Howells told BBC Radio Five Live: "I would have thought that certainly within a year or so there'll be adequate trained Iraqi soldiers and security forces, policemen and women and so on, in order to do the job.
"I mean I'd be very surprised if in a year's time there isn't that kind of capacity there for taking on a lot of the work that's done at the moment by the coalition forces.""I mean I'd be very surprised if in a year's time there isn't that kind of capacity there for taking on a lot of the work that's done at the moment by the coalition forces."
HAVE YOUR SAY The policies regarding Iraq must be reviewed and changed Justin Schultz, Boise, US Send us your viewsHAVE YOUR SAY The policies regarding Iraq must be reviewed and changed Justin Schultz, Boise, US Send us your views
Mr Howells added: "The problem is we do not know what the state of play is vis-a-vis the militias - how well armed they are and how sustainable their present rate of fighting is. Mr Howells added: "The problem is we do not know what the state of play is vis-a-vis the militias - how well armed they are and how sustainable their present rate of fighting is. "
"Those are imponderables and the only way you are going to get that information is by speaking to the generals and intelligence services who watch these things very carefully." He said they had to keep talking to the generals and intelligence services "who watch these things very carefully".
His words come after Tony Blair agreed with the assessment of General George Casey, commander of the multinational force in Iraq. Mr Browne said Iraqi security forces in the south of the country will be capable of taking over their own security in 12 months time - which could lead to a major reduction in British forces.
In August, Gen Casey said Iraqi security forces would be able to take on security responsibilities for the country in the next 12 to 18 months. 'Reasonable timeframe'
Rethink? Asked directly when he thought British forces would be out of Iraq he said: "When the job is done."
Prime Minister Tony Blair said this week that withdrawing troops prematurely would be "disastrous".
Shadow foreign secretary William Hague called for a full debate in the House of Commons on the situation in Iraq, in the light of the US Baker Commission's review of American options - due to be published after the 7 November congressional elections.
He told BBC One's AM programme MPs needed to know "that there is British influence in the decision, not just solely an American decision".
Mr Hague added: "The question is how to be able to withdraw coalition forces on some reasonable timeframe, sooner rather than later, while leaving behind a democratic Iraqi government and security stability in most parts of the country."
General George Casey, commander of the multinational force in Iraq, said in August that Iraqi security forces would be able to take on security responsibilities for the country in the next 12 to 18 months.
US President George Bush, who says military tactics need to keep changing in order to beat the insurgents, held talks with General Casey and other commanders on Saturday amid continued bloodshed in Iraq.US President George Bush, who says military tactics need to keep changing in order to beat the insurgents, held talks with General Casey and other commanders on Saturday amid continued bloodshed in Iraq.
And British Army commanders said the southern city of Amara was "calm but tense" after hundreds of extra Iraqi troops were sent there.And British Army commanders said the southern city of Amara was "calm but tense" after hundreds of extra Iraqi troops were sent there.
Clashes between police and up to 300 gunmen on Thursday and Friday left at least 30 people dead and 100 injured. Clashes between police and up to 300 gunmen left at least 30 people dead and 100 injured on Thursday and Friday.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said British, Iraqi and multi-national commanders needed to "evaluate the situation" to decide if the responsibility for security in Amara or Maysan province could be handed over to the Iraqis. UK troops had pulled out of Amara because it was considered "relatively quiet".
The UK military has been making moves to hand over power to Iraqi forces in Maysan, following transfers of power in Dhi Qar and Muthanna provinces earlier this year. Basra and Maysan are the only two provinces still under British control, following transfers of power in Dhi Qar and Muthanna provinces earlier this year.
Basra and Maysan are the only two provinces still under British control.
The MoD pulled all UK troops out of Amara, in Maysan province, because the security situation was considered "relatively quiet".
Iraqi forces took over and British troops were given other responsibilities in the surrounding area.
But about 700 extra Iraqi troops were sent to Amara on Friday after militias began to attack police stations.
Under control?
A 500-strong battle group of British soldiers was put on standby.
A curfew was put into force and by Saturday Iraqi forces appeared to have brought the situation under control.
It is thought the violence was sparked on Thursday morning by the arrest of the brother of the local leader of the Mehdi militia, loyal to the radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr.
A high-level delegation was sent to the city by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki and Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani met Mr Sadr.
Mr Bolani said the situation in Amara was now "good and under control".