UK to decide on US request for military aid

Britain has received a request from the United States for help from UK troops in Iraq - and the British Chief of the Defence Staff is expected to recommend whether to comply by the middle of this week, Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon announced today.

Mr Hoon told MPs the British troops would not be required to serve in Baghdad or Fallujah.

The Defence Secretary said no decisions had yet been made and a UK reconnaissance team will be going to the relevant area - not named by Mr Hoon - tomorrow to gather information for the Chiefs of Staff.

Mr Hoon stressed: "The request is a military request."

It was not linked to the US elections but the Iraqi elections, scheduled for January.