British PM Tony Blair says he is behind new British army chief Gen. Sir Richard Dannatt – in effort to calm the furor over general’s controversial interview
Dannatt denied a rift with the government over the interview in which he said British troops should leave Iraq “some time soon” as they are making things worse. In unprecedented criticism of the government by a serving British officer, the general said the presence of British troops in Iraq exacerbated security.
Sir Richard, who was appointed as head of the army in August, said planning for what happened after the initial successful military offensive was “poor, probably based on more optimism than sound planning.”
“We are in a Muslim country,” he said and “Muslims’ views of foreigners in their country are quite clear.”
In another controversial remark, Dannatt said: The moral vacuum in our country allows Islam to flourish.