Straw orders review of troop levels

BRITAIN’S Defence Secretary has ordered a review of British troop levels in Iraq following weeks of heightened insecurity, but British Prime Minister Tony Blair said yesterday that there has been no decision to send additional forces.

The announcement that Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon had ordered a review of troop levels followed a published report yesterday that Foreign Secretary Jack Straw had proposed the deployment of 5,000 more British military personnel in Iraq.

“In the light of events in Iraq over past weeks, the defence secretary has asked for a review of the forces and resources required to support UK operations,” the Defence Ministry said.