UK: Army chief speaks of Iraq troop withdrawal

Britain will recall its first batch of around 1,500 troops from Iraq in the next two to three months, army chief General Richard Dannatt said today.

“We are following the plans that our government laid down and as announced in London, we are withdrawing the first 1,500 (troops) or so in the next two or three months,” Dannatt, who is on an official visit here, told reporters.

British prime minister Tony Blair last week laid out plans to withdraw around 1,600 troops from Iraq over the coming months and to further cut its 7,100-strong contingent by late summer if local forces can secure the southern part of the country.

British troops will remain in Iraq until at least 2008 and work to secure the Iran-Iraq border and maintain supply routes to US and coalition troops in central Iraq, Blair has said.

“We’ve got to stay there until we completed the mission, so that may take some time,” Dannatt added.

He was speaking after attending Malaysia’s 74th army day celebrations in the southern town of Port Dickson, where the country’s first Malay regiment was formed in 1933.

After watching a colourful parade involving more than 1,200 soldiers, 33 armoured vehicles and three Agusta helicopters, Dannatt handed over a Union Jack flag to Malaysian army chief General Muhammad Ismail Jamaluddin.

In his speech, Ismail said the flag was historical because it was hoisted on September 9, 1945, to mark the return of allied forces to then Malaya following Japan’s surrender after the Second World War.

The Southeast Asian nation gained independence from Britain in 1957, and was under Japanese occupation during the Second World War.

Ismail said the flag, which was previously kept in the Imperial War Museum in London, would now be transferred to Malaysia’s Army Museum in Port Dickson.

“It’s a very historic flag and it seems that its proper home is to be in this country in the safekeeping of the Malaysian authorities and the army in particular,” Dannatt added.

Officials said Dannatt is also scheduled to meet Malaysian Defence Minister Najib Razak and armed forces chief General Abdul Aziz Zainal.

He is expected to help plan arrangements for British war veterans coming for Malaysia’s 50th independence day celebrations in August.