Army chief wants troops out of Iraq.

BRITISH troops are fuelling violence in Iraq and should come home "soon", the new head of the Army has warned.

Ministers have repeatedly insisted UK forces are not part of the problem and should see through the job of bringing peace to the country.

But General Sir Richard Dannatt admitted UK troops should "get ourselves out sometime soon because our presence exacerbates the security problems".

British forces have already begun handing over control to Iraqi security forces in relatively calm areas in the south.

But the process is expected to take much longer in Basra, where most troops are concentrated.

Dannatt added: "We are in a Muslim country and Muslims' views of foreigners in their country are quite clear.

"As a foreigner, you can be welcomed by being invited in a country but we weren't invited by those in Iraq at the time.

"Let's face it, the military campaign we fought in 2003 effectively kicked the door in.

"So the longer we stay, on what initially was an occupation basis and now a UN-sanctioned basis, whatever consent we may have had in the first place, may have turned to tolerance and has largely turned to intolerance.

"That is a fact.I don't say the difficulties we are experiencing around the world are caused by our presence in Iraq but undoubtedly our presence in Iraq exacerbates them."

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PROBLEMS: Dannatt