It could be five or 10 years before Iraq becomes a stable democracy, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has said.
Straw told the BBC's Newsnight program late on Wednesday that there was no timetable for the withdrawal of British troops, but he hoped it would take place within "a very limited number of years."
"I am optimistic about Iraq, I think in five to 10 years we will see it becoming stable," Straw said.
"I think if you compare nation-building in other situations after the war in Europe, building up stable nations from the collapse of the Soviet Union, look at Afghanistan, I think that's a reasonable prospect."
Straw said British troops would remain in the country until Iraqi security forces were able to take over.
"There is no date set [for withdrawal] but we all hope it can be completed in a matter of a very limited number of years," he said.
Britain currently has about 8,500 troops in Iraq, based in the south of the country.
In related news, an opinion poll released by the Newsnight program on Wednesday found that a majority of Britons want the country's troops out of Iraq immediately or a firm withdrawal date while 40 percent agree with the government's policy of keeping them there until Iraqis can fully take over security.
The poll found that 40 percent of all Britons agreed with the government's policy of keeping a British military presence until Iraqi security forces were ready to take over, 31 percent thought the troops should leave Iraq now and 23 percent felt that a firm date should be set for the departure of troops.
The other 6 percent said they did not know when the troops should leave.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has repeatedly said that British troops would stay in Iraq as long as they were requested to do so by the Iraqi government
Defense Secretary John Reid told lawmakers in the House of Commons on Monday that a troop rotation next month would see Britain's presence in Iraq cut by about 500, to about 8,000. Reid said two small bases in the southern Iraqi city of Basra would close, but the number of British troops would not change significantly.
The poll also found that 57 percent of Britons felt that committing troops to military action in Iraq was "the wrong thing to do," while 33 percent thought it was a good idea. Ten percent of respondents were undecided on the decision to send troops.
Seven people sustained mostly minor injuries in an airplane fire in South Korea, authorities said yesterday, with local media suggesting the blaze might have been caused by a portable battery stored in the overhead bin. The Air Busan plane, an Airbus A321, was set to fly to Hong Kong from Gimhae International Airport in southeastern Busan, but caught fire in the rear section on Tuesday night, the South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said. A total of 169 passengers and seven flight attendants and staff were evacuated down inflatable slides, it said. Authorities initially reported three injuries, but revised the number
‘BALD-FACED LIE’: The woman is accused of administering non-prescribed drugs to the one-year-old and filmed the toddler’s distress to solicit donations online A social media influencer accused of filming the torture of her baby to gain money allegedly manufactured symptoms causing the toddler to have brain surgery, a magistrate has heard. The 34-year-old Queensland woman is charged with torturing an infant and posting videos of the little girl online to build a social media following and solicit donations. A decision on her bail application in a Brisbane court was yesterday postponed after the magistrate opted to take more time before making a decision in an effort “not to be overwhelmed” by the nature of allegations “so offensive to right-thinking people.” The Sunshine Coast woman —
BORDER SERVICES: With the US-funded International Rescue Committee telling clinics to shut by tomorrow, Burmese refugees face sudden discharge from Thai hospitals Healthcare centers serving tens of thousands of refugees on the Thai-Myanmar border have been ordered shut after US President Donald Trump froze most foreign aid last week, forcing Thai officials to transport the sickest patients to other facilities. The International Rescue Committee (IRC), which funds the clinics with US support, told the facilities to shut by tomorrow, a local official and two camp committee members said. The IRC did not respond to a request for comment. Trump last week paused development assistance from the US Agency for International Development for 90 days to assess compatibility with his “America First” policy. The freeze has thrown
PINEAPPLE DEBATE: While the owners of the pizzeria dislike pineapple on pizza, a survey last year showed that over 50% of Britons either love or like the topping A trendy pizzeria in the English city of Norwich has declared war on pineapples, charging an eye-watering ￡100 (US$124) for a Hawaiian in a bid to put customers off the disputed topping. Lupa Pizza recently added pizza topped with ham and pineapple to its account on a food delivery app, writing in the description: “Yeah, for ￡100 you can have it. Order the champagne too! Go on, you monster!” “[We] vehemently dislike pineapple on pizza,” Lupa co-owner Francis Wolf said. “We feel like it doesn’t suit pizza at all,” he said. The other co-owner, head chef Quin Jianoran, said they kept tinned pineapple
RSS