Brown urged to plan Iraq withdrawal

Pressure increased on Gordon Brown to set out a timetable for the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq yesterday after Lord Ashdown warned the coalition mission had been undermined by "ridiculously" over-optimistic aims.

Lord Ashdown: Brown urged to plan Iraq withdrawal

Lord Ashdown speaking on BBC One's Sunday AM programme

With casualty rates among British forces rising, there is speculation that the current force of 5,000 troops could be reduced to about 1,000 next year, at a time when a General Election might be held.

Opposition figures suggested last night that it was time to concede that Iraq had been a failure.

Their comments came after Field Marshal Lord Inge, the former Chief of Defence Staff, told the Lords that both Afghanistan and Iraq had become a "strategic failure".

"The situation in Afghanistan is much worse than many people recognise," Lord Inge told peers. "We need to face up to that issue, the consequence of strategic failure in Afghanistan and what that would mean for Nato." His remarks were said to echo the views of serving commanders. Lord Ashdown, the former Liberal Democrat leader, launched a stinging attack on the British and American approach to Iraq. The Government has consistently stated that troops will only come home as the security situation improves, but Lord Ashdown, who was offered a place in the Brown government, said coalition forces can no longer suppress the violence.