Army general calls for more troops in Iraq

Louise Nousratpour
Wednesday August 22, 2007
The Morning Star

US general Jack Keane prompted a chorus of condemnation on Wednesday when he called for more British troops in Iraq.

Gen Keane, who was behind the failed US "surge" policy which saw over 30,000 troops deployed to Iraq, moaned that Britain's "disengagement" from the southern city of Basra was a source of frustration for US military commanders.

During a BBC radio interview, he insisted that Britain had never had enough forces to "truly protect" civilians, who were increasingly becoming prey to "gangland warfare."

Asked about the consequences of Britain withdrawing its remaining contingent of around 5,500 troops, he threatened: "The situation will continue to deteriorate."

Gen Keane's remarks were the latest in a series of critical comments made by US officials amid fears over British plans to pull out of Iraq.

He insisted that the answer to the soaring violence in Iraq was more US and British troops on the ground.

The US is facing up to that "fact," the general declared, adding that the British army "needs to grow in size to help assist in maintaining security."

But Sami Ramadani of the British-based support group for Iraqi trade unions NAFTANA accused Gen Keane of wanting to "add more petrol to the fire."

"The US-led occupation forces are a magnet for most of the violence in Iraq. Their presence is socially and politically divisive within Iraqi society.

"So, rather than preventing sectarian violence, they are actually encouraging divisions.

"Their departure will be the first step towards healing the wounds of Iraq and bringing its people together to begin the huge task of rebuilding."

Mr Ramadani suggested that Gen Keane's call for more troop deployment could have a more sinister connotation, arguing: "The US may be using Iraq as a launching pad to possibly attack Iran and even Syria."

Stop the War Coalition convener Lindsey German said that Gen Keane "clearly doesn't recognise that the game is up for British troops in Iraq. It is only a matter of time before they withdraw all troops from that country.

"The United States army is not doing too well either and now US President George Bush is turning against the Iraqi government, demanding that Iraqi people elect a new one because the ministers are not doing what he wants them to do."

Ms German reiterated calls for an end to the occupation, arguing: "There is no military solution to the crisis in Iraq and a political solution can only come from Iraqi people themselves."

She advised Gen Keane to "worry about the problems engulfing his own country, rather than making decisions for others."

A Military Families Against the War spokesman added: "Hundreds of thousands of British and US troops have been deployed to Iraq in the past five years, yet the violence is getting worse.

"A peaceful future for Iraq lies in the total withdrawal of all troops from there, not sending more to their death."

In response to Gen Keane's comments, the Ministry of Defence insisted that the US and Britain were "united behind the same strategy" and dismissed his criticism as "one person's view."

Last week, top British commander General Sir Richard Dannatt admitted that his forces were "certainly stretched" in Afghanistan, adding to pressure on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to cut Britain's commitment in Iraq to allow more soldiers to be sent to Afghanistan.

The MoD is reportedly considering a major reinforcement of the NATO mission in Afghanistan, possibly sending up to 2,000 extra troops.