FactCheck: Does Blair agree with Dannatt?
Updated on 16 October 2006
Tony Blair says he agrees with Army General Sir Richard Dannatt's "every word" on Iraq.
The Claim
Tony Blair insisted he "agreed with every word" Army boss General Sir Richard Dannatt had said in his radio interview on the Today programme.
Press Association, 13 October 2006
Background
It was the political equivalent of falling victim to friendly fire.
Once again Blair found himself in the middle of controversy over Iraq, but this time it was the Army boss firing the shots; among other remarks, Dannatt told the Daily Mail that Britain should withdraw from Iraq "sometime soon".
Clarifying what "sometime soon" meant, Dannatt explained: "We don't want to be there (Iraq) another two, three, four, five years. We've got to think about this in terms of a reasonable length of time."
What followed was a frenzied day of activity for government spin doctors, as Dannatt subsequently appeared on the Today programme and Sky News to stress he was not at odds with the PM.
Dannatt pointed out, however, that his follow-up appearances were not to be seen as surrendering to the political line: "I have withdrawn none of the comments that I have made (to the Daily Mail).
"I have given a little more explanation about what I meant by 'sometime soon'; that's not backtracking."
Blair then went on the record to say he agreed with everything Dannatt had said in his Today interview - by which time people were already losing track of who said what, and when.
But how fair is it for the Blair camp to suggest there was no difference between the Army chief's perceived exasperation with Iraq, and the Prime Minister's seemingly long-held determination to see things through?
Analysis
So, what has Blair said concerning withdrawal from Iraq?
The conflict began in March 2003, but in the early months Blair was careful not to make predictions - no doubt mindful of previous military excursions.
It was not until the following year that he started making noises about withdrawal. The Mirror reported the PM saying in May 2004: "I hope and anticipate in a year's time we will see a very substantial reduction in troops from where we are now."
So, two year's ago Blair was working to a timescale which even surpassed Dannatt's desire to get out soon.
Staying the course
But, as summer turned to autumn - and perhaps as the Iraq conflict began to unravel - the PM was trotting out a more pessimistic line at Labour's party conference.
He said: "It is worth staying the course to bring democracy to Iraq and Afghanistan."
What "staying the course" means is open to interpretation but it certainly does not feel like "sometime soon."
Continued
Patience, patience
Fast-forward a year to 2005 and Blair was once again telling conference delegates to be patient over Britain's presence in Iraq - no jumping ship for him.
He said: "The way to stop the innocent dying is not to retreat, to withdraw, to hand these people over to the mercy of religious fanatics or relics of Saddam, but to stand up for their right to decide their government in the same democratic way the British people do."
Underlining the sentiment withdrawal was not on the agenda. He told the House of Commons Liaison Committee in November 2005 that it was vital the international community did not "back away" from Iraq.
Clear-cut then? Blair has predominantly preached long-term encampment over Iraq? Not so...
A week earlier in November 2005 he told the Guardian: "I think it's entirely reasonable to talk about the possibility of withdrawal of troops next year but it's got to be always conditioned by the fact that we withdraw when the job is done."
Continual reference is made by Blair to getting out when the "job is done" - and even the most optimistic observers would concede that's unlikely to be "sometime soon."
Finally, at Labour's conference this year Blair appeared to be at his most forthright, with departure from Iraq being the last thing on his mind.
He said: "If we retreat now, hand Iraq over to Al Qaida and sectarian death squads and Afghanistan back to Al Qaida and the Taleban, we won't be safer; we will be committing a craven act of surrender that will put our future security in the deepest peril."
FactCheck Rating: 3.5 (How ratings work)
Verdict
It is quite easy for Blair to say his thoughts on withdrawal from Iraq are in line with Dannatt's - because over time the PM has pleaded for patience, as well as occasionally raising the spectre of imminent departure from the country.
The overriding sentiment from Blair's remarks is that Britain will stay until the job is done, whereas Dannatt seems more concerned with getting out soon and cutting the Army's losses.
To say the pair are singing from the same hymm sheet seems a touch of spin too far.
Sources
Dannatt's original comments made in the Daily Mail
Dannatt's interview on the Today Programme
Blair's conference speech 2004
Blair's conference speech 2005
Blair's conference speech 2006
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