By Deborah Haynes 1 hour, 2 minutes ago
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's top army commander said the presence of British troops in Iraq was exacerbating security problems on the ground and they should be withdrawn soon, according to a British newspaper.
General Sir Richard Dannatt also told the Daily Mail in an interview published on Friday that Britain's Iraq venture was aggravating the security threat elsewhere in the world.
In unusually blunt comments for a serving senior officer, Dannatt said the troops should "get ... out sometime soon because our presence exacerbates the security problems."
Britain, Washington's main ally in Iraq, has around 7,000 soldiers deployed, mainly in the Shi'ite south. The U.S.-led invasion to oust former president Saddam Hussein has come under heavy criticism, as the civilian death-toll mounts and British and U.S. troops are increasingly in the firing line.
Britain has lost 119 troops killed.
more... Last Updated: Thursday, 12 October 2006, 21:58 GMT 22:58 UK
The head of the British Army has said the presence of UK armed forces in Iraq "exacerbates the security problems".In an interview in the Daily Mail, Sir Richard Dannatt, Chief of the General Staff, is quoted as saying the British should "get out some time soon".
He also said: "Let's face it, the military campaign we fought in 2003, effectively kicked the door in."
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