UK eyes Iraq troop withdrawl

2005-07-17 21:18

London - Britain could start scaling back its troop presence in Iraq over the next 12 months, defence minister John Reid said on Sunday.

In an interview with CNN, Reid said neither Britain nor the United States had "imperialist ambitions" in Iraq and wanted the country's own forces to take over responsibility for security.

Reid made the remarks when he was asked to comment on a leaked British government memorandum that states Britain is considering scaling back its presence to 3 000 troops by the middle of 2006.

The memo, first published in a British newspaper last week and signed by Reid, also says there is a "strong US military desire for significant force reductions."

Reid declined to comment directly on the memo.

Train

The British government has long said it plans train Iraqi forces and gradually hand over security responsibility, but has declined to set a timetable for withdrawing British troops from Iraq.

London and Washington are reluctant to do so, fearing a timetable would give heart to militants waging a bloody insurgency in Iraq.

Ninety-two British servicemen who have died since the Iraq invasion started in March 2003.

Britain has about 8 500 troops in Iraq, mostly in the generally peaceful Shiite south, where support for the Shiite-led government in Baghdad is stronger.

- AP