General gives voice to army's unspoken fears

[cal04]

· Plain speaker is unhappy with role of British forces
· Officers admit morale affected by task in Iraq

Even before his explosive remarks in which he calls for the swift withdrawal of British troops from Iraq, General Richard Dannatt had a reputation for speaking his mind. In his first interview as head of the army, he spoke to the Guardian last month about the burdens being placed on the army in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere. "Can we cope?" he asked. "Just."

The comments made clear that just two weeks after taking over the post, Gen Dannatt was unhappy with the way the government was using the armed forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

And yet the frustrations voiced by Gen Dannatt in that interview and again in today's Daily Mail, amplify what many military chiefs, notably in the army, have been thinking for months, if not years.

(snip)
A number of his colleagues in the top ranks of the armed forces preferred to ingratiate themselves with the government. Gen Dannatt was not prepared to do so. He intended to say it as it is. For many months officers have been wondering what was the point of keeping the more than 7,000 British troops in Iraq.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1921461,00.html

[texpatriot2004]

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