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SLUG: 2-301553 Britain Iraq (L-O)
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DATE=3/31/2003 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT TITLE=BRITAIN / IRAQ (L-O) NUMBER=2-301553 BYLINE=MICHAEL DRUDGE DATELINE=LONDON CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: Britain says it has no plans to increase the size of its troop deployment in and around Iraq. V-O-A's Michael Drudge reports from London that British Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon discussed the Iraq war with parliament. TEXT: Defense Secretary Hoon says there has been steady progress during the first 12-days of the Iraq war, with coalition forces taking effective control of southern and western Iraq. About 45-thousand British service personnel are deployed in the Gulf region. Mr. Hoon said troop rotations are planned, but he does not expect the total force to grow. /// HOON ACT /// As far as individuals are concerned, then they will be replaced as and when needed, but we judge that there is no need for any substantial increase in the total number of forces that we have in theater at the present time. /// END ACT /// The United States and Britain have been encouraging high-level defections since before the war started on March 20th, but Mr. Hoon says those efforts have not paid off so far. /// 2nd HOON ACT /// There have been as yet no defections of very senior politicians or very senior military commanders, but that is certainly not to say that there have not been significant surrenders. We currently hold around eight-thousand prisoners of war, many of whom in fact have surrendered, and many of whom were pleased to surrender. /// END ACT /// The defense secretary also said British forces are being extra vigilant after an Iraqi suicide bomber killed four American servicemen at a checkpoint on Saturday. He said suicide bombings will result in further hardship for Iraqi civilians by making it more difficult for them to move around in areas under control of coalition troops. (SIGNED). NEB/MWD/KL/RAE/FC |
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