Blair: Troop deployment is a military decision
The Prime Minister has told the Commons that any decision to deploy UK troops elsewhere in Iraq will be taken on purely military grounds.
Tony Blair also reiterated that no decision has yet been taken on whether to accede to the American request for a small number of troops to replace American forces, who would then be deployed on anti-insurgent operations.
Mr Blair opened Prime Minister’s Question Time in the Commons by first paying tribute to captured charity worker Margaret Hassan, telling MPs that everything possible was being done to secure her release. He was joined in the sentiments by both Charles Clarke and Michael Howard.
The Conservative Leader opened by saying that the Official Opposition would not be backing calls for a vote on any troop deployment, saying that such a vote would be inappropriate in a time of war. However, he demanded that Parliament be given “accurate information” – claiming inconsistencies in Government statements about decisions regarding troop deployment. He further questioned why, given the fact that the USA has 130,000 troops in Iraq, it was necessary for 650 British troops to be moved.
Mr Blair told the House that there was a “limit to what I should and can say” about troop movements, but told MPs that “we are about to enter a period of increased activity” in Iraq in the build-up to January’s elections.
Any troop movement would be for operational and not political reasons, he stressed, while revealing that the Black Watch – who are considered the most likely regiment to be moved – are still likely to be back in the UK by Christmas.
UK troops would remain under the operation control of UK forces, Mr Blair said, adding that speculation that they could be sent to Baghdad or Falluja were wrong. He pointed out that not all of the US troops would be fit for the purpose, and said it was “completely and totally untrue” that the UK military are unhappy with the request.
The Liberal Democrat leader followed the same line of attack, arguing that any further deployment should only be at the request of UK commanders, and then only to fulfil the original purpose of their mandate. He called on Mr Blair, if he is certain in his arguments, to put any deployment to the test in the House.
Mr Blair hit back strongly, saying that the stabilisation of Iraq is in the interests of the country as a whole. Regardless of individuals’ views about the invasion of Iraq, the Prime Minister called for all to back “progress towards democracy” and the defeat of terrorists.
He claimed that by calling for a vote, Mr Kennedy was effectively asking him to let political views override military decisions, saying soldiers on the “ground in Iraq are in a better position to make that judgement than him or me”.
