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http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1921450,00.html
Presence of forces risks serious consequences for security in UK and Iraq
Richard Norton-Taylor and Tania Branigan
Friday October 13, 2006
The Guardian
General Sir Richard Dannatt, the head of the army, dropped a political bombshell last night by saying that Britain must withdraw from Iraq "soon" or risk serious consequences for Iraqi and British society.
In a blistering attack on Tony Blair's foreign policy, Gen Dannatt said the continuing military presence in Iraq was jeopardising British security and interests around the world.
"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 in comments that met with admiration from anti-war campaigners and disbelief in certain parts of Westminster.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Gen Dannatt, who became chief of the general staff in August, said we should "get ourselves out sometime soon because our presence exacerbates the security problems".
He added: "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 ... by those in Iraq at the time. The military campaign we fought in 2003 effectively kicked the door in.
"Whatever consent we may have had in the first place, may have turned to tolerance and has largely turned to intolerance." He added that planning for the postwar phase was "poor" and said the aim of imposing a liberal democracy in Iraq had been over-ambitious.
Such an outspoken intervention by an army chief is extremely rare and is bound to increase pressure on the government to continue making its Iraq case against a backdrop of growing mayhem on the ground.
Mr Blair denied last month that Iraq would be safer if British troops withdrew. But last night Sir Menzies Campbell, the Liberal Democrat leader, said: "Brick by brick government policy on Iraq is collapsing. Senior military figures who were always doubtful about action in Iraq and its aftermath are becoming increasingly anxious about ... the risks involved."
John McDonnell, leader of the socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs and a leadership challenger, told the BBC: "It is the overwhelming opinion of the British people that British troops should withdraw and this has now been confirmed by the professional judgment of Britain's most senior military leader.
"In the name of reason and humanity the government must now act and bring forward an exit strategy."
There was widespread surprise at Gen Dannatt's frankness, with some backbenchers privately questioning whether he could carry on in his role after his comments. Doug Henderson, a former defence minister and close ally of Gordon Brown, questioned why the general had made his thoughts public.
"One can only assume that Sir Richard has made his views known privately and that they've been ignored," he told BBC2's Newsnight programme. He said that soldiers expected to have the support of the chief of the general staff, adding: "The soldiers on the frontline must be wondering why they are there now."
Kevan Jones MP, a Labour member of the defence select committee, added: "There was always going to come a tipping point in Iraq, where we were no longer a solution but a problem. If General Dannatt is saying that time has been reached, that's very concerning. An interview like this, though, is not the way to say that."
In his first interview since taking the chief of staff job, Sir Richard told the Guardian last month that the army could only just cope with what the government was demanding of it, and made it clear that he believed that ministers were taking British soldiers for granted. In today's interview he goes further, criticising the defence secretary, Des Browne, for the "unacceptable" treatment of injured troops and warning that the government was in danger of breaking the "covenant" between a country and its army.
A devout Christian, he said a moral and spiritual vacuum opening up in British society was allowing militant Islamists to flourish.
Presence of forces risks serious consequences for security in UK and Iraq
Richard Norton-Taylor and Tania Branigan
Friday October 13, 2006
The Guardian
General Sir Richard Dannatt, the head of the army, dropped a political bombshell last night by saying that Britain must withdraw from Iraq "soon" or risk serious consequences for Iraqi and British society.
In a blistering attack on Tony Blair's foreign policy, Gen Dannatt said the continuing military presence in Iraq was jeopardising British security and interests around the world.
"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 in comments that met with admiration from anti-war campaigners and disbelief in certain parts of Westminster.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Gen Dannatt, who became chief of the general staff in August, said we should "get ourselves out sometime soon because our presence exacerbates the security problems".
He added: "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 ... by those in Iraq at the time. The military campaign we fought in 2003 effectively kicked the door in.
"Whatever consent we may have had in the first place, may have turned to tolerance and has largely turned to intolerance." He added that planning for the postwar phase was "poor" and said the aim of imposing a liberal democracy in Iraq had been over-ambitious.
Such an outspoken intervention by an army chief is extremely rare and is bound to increase pressure on the government to continue making its Iraq case against a backdrop of growing mayhem on the ground.
Mr Blair denied last month that Iraq would be safer if British troops withdrew. But last night Sir Menzies Campbell, the Liberal Democrat leader, said: "Brick by brick government policy on Iraq is collapsing. Senior military figures who were always doubtful about action in Iraq and its aftermath are becoming increasingly anxious about ... the risks involved."
John McDonnell, leader of the socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs and a leadership challenger, told the BBC: "It is the overwhelming opinion of the British people that British troops should withdraw and this has now been confirmed by the professional judgment of Britain's most senior military leader.
"In the name of reason and humanity the government must now act and bring forward an exit strategy."
There was widespread surprise at Gen Dannatt's frankness, with some backbenchers privately questioning whether he could carry on in his role after his comments. Doug Henderson, a former defence minister and close ally of Gordon Brown, questioned why the general had made his thoughts public.
"One can only assume that Sir Richard has made his views known privately and that they've been ignored," he told BBC2's Newsnight programme. He said that soldiers expected to have the support of the chief of the general staff, adding: "The soldiers on the frontline must be wondering why they are there now."
Kevan Jones MP, a Labour member of the defence select committee, added: "There was always going to come a tipping point in Iraq, where we were no longer a solution but a problem. If General Dannatt is saying that time has been reached, that's very concerning. An interview like this, though, is not the way to say that."
In his first interview since taking the chief of staff job, Sir Richard told the Guardian last month that the army could only just cope with what the government was demanding of it, and made it clear that he believed that ministers were taking British soldiers for granted. In today's interview he goes further, criticising the defence secretary, Des Browne, for the "unacceptable" treatment of injured troops and warning that the government was in danger of breaking the "covenant" between a country and its army.
A devout Christian, he said a moral and spiritual vacuum opening up in British society was allowing militant Islamists to flourish.
