UK commander in Iraq complains of neglect of troops
Source: Reuters
LONDON, Dec 27 (Reuters) - The commander of British forces in southern Iraq said on Wednesday British troops had suffered a generation of under-funding and neglect, joining growing criticism of the conditions they face. Major-General Richard Shirreff said Britain needed to support its soldiers in southern Iraq. "The nation needs to understand that the quality work done by these courageous men and women out here only happens and can only continue if ... our soldiers are properly supported back home in terms of the support for training, infrastructure, barracks, accommodation," he said in a BBC interview from Basra. "Frankly some of these issues need solving. This is the result, in many of these issues, of a generation of under-funding and relative neglect in political terms," he said, adding that he did not blame any political party or government. Shirreff, who is due to end his posting in Iraq in January, is the latest senior military figure to criticise British strategy in Iraq or to complain of inadequate resources. Army chiefs have warned that British forces are fully stretched, with 7,200 based in southern Iraq and nearly 6,000 fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. Britain's army chief, Richard Dannatt, caused a storm in October when he said post-war planning for the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq was poor and that British troops should leave Iraq soon because their presence was worsening security. Britain's former top soldier, General Sir Mike Jackson, accused the government this month of failing to give British troops the right resources and support. Legislators and newspapers have complained about shortages of armoured vehicles, body armour and helicopters. Responding to Shirreff, Britain's Ministry of Defence said it had "long recognised the importance of investing properly in our armed forces ... and that is why the defence budget has steadily risen by an extra 3.7 billion pounds ($7.26 billion) over the last three financial years". Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said last month Britain could hand back Basra province to Iraqi control early next year. But Shirreff said the Iraqi army was not ready to take on Shi'ite militias vying for control of Basra. "I see this mission shifting from a security mission to much more of a military assistance mission when we embed British soldiers much more closely in Iraqi army units in order to stiffen the backbone ... and that will take time but we are not in the business of cutting and running," he said. "We are going to maintain a brigade or thereabouts in this part of Iraq for some time to come."
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