Britain plans to cut troops in Iraq

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Source: CCTV.com | 02-25-2007 09:27

In Iraq, the commander of the British forces in the south of the country has confirmed the UK's partial troop withdraw plan three days after Prime Minister Tony Blair announced the decision in London.

At a news conference held in southern Iraqi city of Basra, the commander of the British forces in southern Iraq said the gradual hand over of security to Iraqi troops and the police service would take place according to the coalition campaign plan.

Jonathan Shaw, commander of British forces in Iraq, said, "True to the coalition campaign plan, I intend, in consultation with my Iraqi colleagues, to begin the process of handing over security to the Iraqi army and the Iraqi police service."

Blair said Wednesday that Britain would withdraw around 1,600 troops from Iraq over the coming months and aims to cut its 7,100 troop level to below 5,000 by late summer.

However this is short of the demand by anti-war protesters who converged in London on Saturday, calling on the government to withdraw all British troops from Iraq.

A few thousand people joined the march through the capital. They were also protesting Blair's plans for a new multi billion dollar nuclear missile defense system.