Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Media: The Associated Press
Byline: n/a
Date: 22 October 2006
LONDON_Britain has gone "quite far" toward handing over control of southern
Iraq to local forces, Defense Secretary Des Browne said Sunday.
But Browne declined to back comments by another government minister, who
said Iraqi police and military should be able to take over most duties from
U.S.-led forces within a year.
"We are quite far down the process of transferring responsibility to the
Iraqis. In any event, we have handed over two of four provinces," Browne
told Sky News during a visit to Afghanistan on Sunday.
But Browne did not say whether he agreed with Foreign Office Minister Kim
Howells, who said Saturday that "in a year or so there will be adequately
trained Iraqi soldiers and security forces ... in order to do the job."
Browne said British troops would leave "when the job is done. This is a
process and not an event."
British officials have spoken in recent months of cutting troop levels in
Iraq from the current 7,000 to between 3,000 and 4,000 by mid-2007, but no
firm date for withdrawal has been set.
Prime Minister Tony Blair has been under growing pressure to set a timetable
for a pullout. Last week the country's top soldier, Gen. Richard Dannatt,
called for British troops to be withdrawn "sometime soon" and said their
presence was provoking rather than preventing violence.
Blair said this week that it would be a "gross dereliction of our duty" to
withdraw before Iraqi forces were able to take responsibility for security.
Byline: n/a
Date: 22 October 2006
LONDON_Britain has gone "quite far" toward handing over control of southern
Iraq to local forces, Defense Secretary Des Browne said Sunday.
But Browne declined to back comments by another government minister, who
said Iraqi police and military should be able to take over most duties from
U.S.-led forces within a year.
"We are quite far down the process of transferring responsibility to the
Iraqis. In any event, we have handed over two of four provinces," Browne
told Sky News during a visit to Afghanistan on Sunday.
But Browne did not say whether he agreed with Foreign Office Minister Kim
Howells, who said Saturday that "in a year or so there will be adequately
trained Iraqi soldiers and security forces ... in order to do the job."
Browne said British troops would leave "when the job is done. This is a
process and not an event."
British officials have spoken in recent months of cutting troop levels in
Iraq from the current 7,000 to between 3,000 and 4,000 by mid-2007, but no
firm date for withdrawal has been set.
Prime Minister Tony Blair has been under growing pressure to set a timetable
for a pullout. Last week the country's top soldier, Gen. Richard Dannatt,
called for British troops to be withdrawn "sometime soon" and said their
presence was provoking rather than preventing violence.
Blair said this week that it would be a "gross dereliction of our duty" to
withdraw before Iraqi forces were able to take responsibility for security.