MoD mulls more troops for Iraq
As the death toll in Iraq creeps up everyday from sporadic attacks on coalition troops and civilian targets, Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon has announced he will review of the number of British troops in the country, the MoD has confirmed.
“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 U.K. operations,” a spokesman confirmed.
“If any decisions are taken to adjust force levels, ministers will inform Parliament in the normal manner as they have done throughout the operation,” he added.
At his monthly press conference today, Prime Minister Tony Blair insisted the review would not lead inexorably to the bolstering of the UK’s 10,000 -11,000-strong force.
The Daily Telegraph Foreign Secretary reported yesterday that Foreign Secretary Jack Straw had urged the PM to boost numbers or risk “strategic failure.”
The rumour mill has it that numbers could rise to 15,000.
Fifty UK soldiers have died since the war started with 11 killed since May 1, when the war declared effectively over by US President George W Bush.
