• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

UK "refusing" to send more troops to Iraq

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, Aug 31, IRNA -- The British Defense Ministry was reported 
Monday to have rejected repeated requests from commanders to send 
more troops to Iraq to cope with the upsurge in violence. 
The Scotsman newspaper said that reinforcements have been 
rebuffed because it would be "too politically embarrassing" at a time 
when sweeping cuts to the armed forces have been proposed. 
Prime Minister Tony Blair has previously been reported to be 
under pressure from the US to dispatch more troops to Iraq to replace 
those earlier withdrawn by Spain and other countries. 
According to the Edinburgh-based Scotsman, British forces in 
southern Iraq have been forced to reduce patrols in Basra because 
of a lack in manpower. 
After three deaths in as many weeks, patrols were said to be 
confined to limited areas around British bases to avoid further 
confrontations. 
Senior officers have been barred from speaking out publicly about 
the lack of troops to bring the situation under control, but the 
Scotsman quoted one former officer with experience in the situation 
as saying there was mounting frustration with the defense ministry. 
"We can`t do anything without proper security and you can`t have 
that unless the proper number of troops are deployed," Brigadier 
Alan Alstead said. 
The brigadier said he was alerted to the problems through his 
work as chairman of Mercy Corps Scotland, an aid organization 
operating in Iraq. 
Security, he said, had deteriorated so that it was no longer safe 
to billet Mercy Corps staff in the country. They could only operate 
under extremely difficult circumstances, a situation which he blamed 
on a shortage of British troops. 
Responsibility for security has largely been handed over to the 
Iraqi police and national guards but British commanders have long 
accepted that their presence will continue to be needed. 
Alstead said he and other serving officers believed the defense 
ministry`s refusal was affected by its decision to get rid of four 
infantry battalions, including one Scottish regiment, as part of 
proposed defense cuts. 
"Senior officers are afraid to be quoted. They know if they are, 
their career is at an end," he said, while referring to requests for 
an additional battalion of soldiers, for a full divisional 
headquarters, and for some tours of duty in Basra to be extended. 
The brigadier said that all requests were rejected -- or 
"reshaped" -- because the defense ministry had "unjustifiably" played 
down threat levels in the hope that they would not have to send out 
more soldiers. 
HC/2321/1432