Blair says 'no change' in Iraq strategy

Prime Minister Tony Blair has stressed that there will be no change in his strategy on British troops in Iraq in spite of increasing criticism.

Speaking in the Commons, Mr Blair said that the withdrawal of UK troops from Iraq prematurely would be “disastrous”.

He said: “I do not want to either dismay our allies or hearten our enemies by suggesting that we will do anything else other than stay until the job is done.” The strategy, Mr Blair said, was “to withdraw progressively from Iraq as the Iraqi forces are capable of taking on the security task.”

The Prime Minister continued: “If we desert the Iraqi government now, at the very time when they are building up their forces... it would be a gross dereliction of our duty.”

However, Mr Blair said that it was important to hand over to Iraqi forces when they were ready otherwise they would be “a provocation rather than a help to them”.

However, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell questioned how the Prime Minister could maintain that the British presence was not exacerbating the present security situation given that United Nations calculated that there are 3,000 Iraqi civilians being killed every month.

"The Government’s strategy has failed. And in those circumstances, the choice is stark: change the strategy or else get out," he said.

The comments come a week after British army chief General Richard Dannatt triggered a row when he suggested that UK troops should withdraw from Iraq because their presence there was worsening the security problems in the country.

(KMcA)