MoD Information

Iraq-British Troops to Re-build

Mon, February 10, 2003

Source: Ananova News

British troops will play a large part in the rebuilding of Iraq after any war in the country, Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said

British troops will play a large part in the rebuilding of Iraq after any war in the country, Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said. Mr Hoon said British soldiers were "extremely good" at peacekeeping and reconstruction duties as had been evident in the Balkans and Afghanistan.

"Our forces are flexible, and they have been designed in a way to provide a number of military options, including the prospect of, in the first place, ensuring security in the immediate aftermath of a military operation," he said in an interview with The Guardian.

The troops would then be engaged in "preserving the peace and helping the process of rebuilding Iraq as a member of the international community, something which they've shown previously they are extremely good at."

Mr Hoon said February 14, the date when Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei will present their key report to the UN Security Council, will be "a very significant day."

The political and diplomatic arguments in favour of a second resolution were "very strong", he said.

Mr Hoon predicted France would come round to the idea of the use of force, leaving Germany as the only anti-war European country.

Despite any military conflict being led by the US, British troops would "ultimately" be under the control of the Prime Minister, the Defence Secretary added