UK troops in Iraq complain lack of planning by officers: report
PLA Daily 2004-03-01
LONDON, Feb. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- Thousands of British soldiers have complained that they were failed by their senior officers whose lack of planning had led to equipment supply failure during the war in Iraq, the British Sunday Telegraph newspaper reported on Sunday.
The newspaper reported that the unprecedented criticism was contained in a confidential document which would be presented to General Mike Jackson, head of the British Army, next month.
Following weeks of face-to-face conversations with soldiers who served in the Iraq war, a select group of officers and senior noncommissioned officers compiled a report, stating that troops who fought in Iraq believed the kit crisis that affected thousands of British servicemen was caused by a lack of planning by senior officers.
Many soldiers were "frustrated that they were not properly equipped" when they crossed the front line, the paper said. The report also said many soldiers believed that too much "government spin" supporting the need for war was passed down along the chain of command.
The Sunday Telegraph story comes as the government denied claims that British military chiefs put pressure on British Attorney General Lord Goldsmith to strengthen his advice on the legality of war in Iraq.
Amid media reports that Goldsmith firmed up his legal opinion before the Iraq war due to concerns that troops could be prosecuted for fighting an illegal war, British cabinet minister, Commons leader Peter Hain told the GMTV that "we have a fog of fabrication and allegation not backed up by any evidence at all."
British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the staunchest US ally on Iraq, has insisted that there was "never any question" of Britain being able to go to war without the clear advice of the attorney general, whose advice has never been published.
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