British government plans ten year occupation of Iraq
Occupation Watch | 20.04.2004 16:42
British troops are to stay in Iraq for up to ten years, a military commander said yesterday. Brigadier Nick Carter — in charge of 8,000 soldiers in Basra — said British troops could be there that long to beef up the Iraqi police.
He said: “We are in cloud-cuckoo land if we think we are going to create overnight a police force that is accountable to the population. “For years to come, Western forces are going to have to be there. I have to be looking, two, three, ten years out.”
Premier Tony Blair last night sidestepped the issue. But Ministry of Defence sources said plans for a lengthy stay ARE under way. Details slipped out after Spain’s new PM Jose Zapatero ordered his soldiers out of Iraq within six weeks. British commanders have told ministers NO extra troops are needed despite bloody uprisings by Iraqi extremists. One defence official said: “We have always said we will be there as long as it takes.” British troops currently do a six-month tour of duty.
Mr Blair warned yesterday they face more terror attacks in the run-up to the handover of power to an interim Iraqi government on June 30. He also blasted Michael Howard for the Tory leader’s accusation that he did not plan for the post-war violence.
Mr Howard had fumed: “Doesn’t everything that has happened over the last year reinforce warnings we gave about the lack of a carefully thought-through plan of reconstruction in post-war Iraq?” Mr Blair hit back: “After the conflict there always was going to be a situation where certain groups in Iraq would try to dislodge progress. These difficulties have to be a reason for redoubling our efforts, not for retreating.”
Premier Tony Blair last night sidestepped the issue. But Ministry of Defence sources said plans for a lengthy stay ARE under way. Details slipped out after Spain’s new PM Jose Zapatero ordered his soldiers out of Iraq within six weeks. British commanders have told ministers NO extra troops are needed despite bloody uprisings by Iraqi extremists. One defence official said: “We have always said we will be there as long as it takes.” British troops currently do a six-month tour of duty.
Mr Blair warned yesterday they face more terror attacks in the run-up to the handover of power to an interim Iraqi government on June 30. He also blasted Michael Howard for the Tory leader’s accusation that he did not plan for the post-war violence.
Mr Howard had fumed: “Doesn’t everything that has happened over the last year reinforce warnings we gave about the lack of a carefully thought-through plan of reconstruction in post-war Iraq?” Mr Blair hit back: “After the conflict there always was going to be a situation where certain groups in Iraq would try to dislodge progress. These difficulties have to be a reason for redoubling our efforts, not for retreating.”
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