Military lines up to back general on Iraq

Gen Dannatt, the Chief of General Staff, has rocked Downing Street by publicly warning that unless Britain begins a major withdrawal from Iraq within the year, the overstretched British Army could end up "broken".

He also openly questioned whether it was still feasible to turn Iraq into a functioning democracy.

Both suggestions run directly contrary to repeated assurances by the government that the military is not overstretched and that Iraq remains on the path to peace and prosperity.

For an officer of Gen Dannatt's seniority to say such things in public is remarkable. But more remarkable still, his position and the unquestioned support of his men last night effectively forced Tony Blair to endorse the general's remarks.

"I agree with every word," the Prime Minister said, at the end of a day of intensive spin and attempted damage- control in the media.

Gen Dannatt stirred up a political storm with a newspaper interview published yesterday morning, in which he said that Britain should start withdrawing from Iraq "soon", and questioning the ambition of a democratic Iraq.

The immediate attention the interview attracted forced the government on to the defensive, with Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, putting pressure on Gen Dannatt to clarify his remarks in a round of early-morning broadcast interviews.

Gen Dannatt duly appeared to insist that he was not at odds with the government on withdrawal, but still spoke in uncompromising terms about the threat to Britain's military capabilities.

"I have got an army to look after ... I want an army in five years' time and ten years' time. Don't let's break it on this one. Let's keep an eye on time," he said. "Time is money and time is soldiers' lives."

As for making Iraq into a democratic "exemplar" for the Middle East, he again said it was better to aim for a less ambitious target - holding Iraq together as a "unitary state". But even that was only "possible", he said.

Retired officers yesterday queued up to endorse Gen Dannatt's remarks. Serving officers and soldiers, who are forbidden to speak openly to the media, used internet message sites to support their commander.

Last night, a straw poll on the Army Rumour Service website showed that 79 per cent of respondents thought the general was "absolutely right". None completely disagreed.

However, some politicians and officers questioned the constitutional propriety of a military chief apparently getting involved in politics.

But the force of Gen Dannatt's argument and its obvious resonance in the armed forces and with some segments of public opinion left the Prime Minister with no option but to agree. Mr Blair's endorsement of Gen Dannatt's remarks will only fuel the suspicion in some military circles that the army chief was playing a very canny game indeed, and actually trying to be helpful to the government.

Although the US army has said it is preparing to stay in Iraq until 2010, some senior British figures - including, it is rumoured, Gordon Brown, the Chancellor - are keen for a major UK withdrawal to begin next year, not least to free up troops for Afghanistan.

Indeed, the British Army only a week ago launched Operation Sinbad, a major "clean-up" of Basra aimed at preparing the southern city in order to hand it over to Iraqi forces in the spring.

Brigadier Ian Gardiner, a former Royal Marine, suggested there could have been some collusion with government. "We can speculate as to why and one possibility is that it was trailing a change of policy for the future. It is not impossible that it is part of an orchestrated campaign by government," Brig Gardiner said. "He would have known what he was doing. He's certainly not a fool or a loose cannon."

One defence source pointed out that the United Nations Security Council resolution that authorises the international troop presence in Iraq expires at the end of December, and suggested that Gen Dannatt's remarks could help create a "fall-back plan" of a swift withdrawal should the resolution not be renewed.

But while ministers may be happy with suggestions that British troops will be leaving Iraq sooner rather than later, they will undoubtedly be uncomfortable with Gen Dannatt's broader observations about government policy.

As for the general, army officers expect him to continue what some see as a mission to ensure the government takes better care of the armed forces. He voiced no word of apology for his remarks yesterday, and even one of his "clarifications" about Iraq could also be read as a warning to ministers who hope he will stay quiet in future: "I'm a soldier - we don't do surrender."

Words of wisdom?

On the timing of Britain's eventual withdrawal from Iraq, General Sir Richard Dannatt, the Chief of the General Staff, yesterday morning made clear it should start within a year:

"We don't want to be there another two, three, four, five years. We've got to think about this in terms of a reasonable length of time."

• He also stood by his suggestion the presence of British troops in Iraq can be the cause of violence:

"The point that I'm trying to make is the mere fact that we are still in some places exacerbates violence from those who want to destabilise Iraqi democracy."

• On the broad strategy for Iraq, he said: "The original intention was that we put in place a liberal democracy that was an exemplar for the region, was pro-West and might have a beneficial effect on the balance within the Middle East. That was the hope.

"Whether that was a sensible or naive hope, history will judge. I don't think we are going to do that. I think we should aim for a lower ambition."

• Gen Dannatt, a committed Christian, used his newspaper interview to question trends in British civilian society:

"When I see the Islamist threat, I hope it doesn't make undue progress because there is a moral and spiritual vacuum in this country."

• Was he withdrawing his remarks?

"I've made some forthright comments, which I stand by."

Is the General right to speak out?

"We are approaching a situation of almost impossible overstretch. I suspect he is saying publicly what he and others have been saying in private for some time"

Brigadier Allan Alstead, former commanding officer of the King's Own Scottish Borderers

"Even the dogs in the street are acknowledging he is right. He is not the sort of guy who shoots from the hip - he has a reputation as an honest man and will have thought this through"

Major Charles Heyman, Jane's World Armies specialist

"A refreshing and very honest insight into what the army generally feel"

Colonel Tim Collins, a commander in Iraq in 2003

"AT LAST!!! After years and years, AT LAST someone at the top has had the b***s to stand up and be counted"

Anonymous soldier, on Army Rumour Service website

"Thank God we have Dannatt"

Anonymous soldier, on Army Rumour Service website

"I agree with every word of it. What he is saying about wanting the British forces out of Iraq is precisely the same as we're all saying"

Tony Blair

"Most of us are sick to death of the weasel words of the various politicians, and it is quite refreshing to hear someone in a position of strong influence speaking his mind"

Anonymous soldier, on Army Rumour Service website

"Sir Richard Dannatt is saying what the vast majority of the military know. He is a very honest and decent man and is only speaking the truth of the matter"

Colonel Bob Stewart, former British UN commander in Bosnia