74% of Britons back army chief on pulling out of Iraq-poll

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http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L15415165.htm

LONDON, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Most Britons back the country's army chief who said British troops should be withdrawn from Iraq soon because their presence was making security worse, a poll showed on Sunday.

Chief of the General Staff Richard Dannatt sparked a media and political storm last week when he criticised post-war planning for the 2003 U.S.-led invasion in a rare interview.

Dannatt told the Daily Mail British troops should pull out "sometime soon because our presence exacerbates the security problems" both in Iraq and for British interests around the globe.

In an ICM telephone poll for the Sunday Express newspaper, 74 percent of those questioned agreed with Dannatt.

His remarks were extraordinary from such a senior serving officer and added to Prime Minister Tony Blair's troubles over the Iraq war. The conflict, which divided Britain, has damaged Blair's standing among his party and the public.

[acmavm]

1. So, if 74% agree in a telephone poll, what the real number?

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2. Meanwhile, in a lair somewhere...

KKKarl Rove is working feverishly on a hatchet job on Dannatt. Should be out by mid-week in my estimation.