Iraq war policy: General joins criticism

A top general has added to criticism of the US policy in Iraq, after former army head Mike Jackson said it was "intellectually bankrupt".

Major General Tim Cross, the most senior UK officer involved in the post-war planning, said Washington's policy had been "fatally flawed".

He also insisted he had raised serious concerns about the possibility of the country sliding into chaos with the then US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld - but that he "dismissed" or "ignored" the warnings.

Sir Mike Jackson, the chief of the general staff during the Iraqi invasion had previously slammed the post-war arrangements of the US.

He also singled out Mr Rumsfeld, describing his claim that US forces "don't do nation-building" as "nonsensical".

Sir Mike was speaking ahead of the serialisation of his autobiography in The Daily Telegraph and his words will add to the tension between Britain and the US over Iraq.

He also said that Washington's approach to fighting global terrorism is "inadequate" as it relies too heavily on military power instead of diplomacy and nation-building.

Sir Mike, who is now retired, also defended the record of British forces in Basra against criticism from US officials that they had failed.

"I don't think that's a fair assessment at all," he said.

"What has happened in the south, as throughout the rest of Iraq, was that primary responsibility for security would be handed to the Iraqis once the Iraqi authorities and the coalition were satisfied that their state of training and development was appropriate."

He said that the US decision to disband the Iraqi army and security forces after the overthrow of Saddam was "very short-sighted".

"We should have kept the Iraqi security services in being and put them under the command of the Coalition," he said.

The comments from Sir Mike follow a series of critical remarks made recently by US officials, many anonymously, about Britain's commitment to Iraq.

Retired General Jack Keane, who has just returned from Iraq, said last week there was "frustration" among commanders who wanted to avoid having to fill any vacuum left by British soldiers if they withdrew.

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