Basra utilities 'were not bombed'

Basra utilities 'were not bombed'

People in Basra have been desperate for clean water

The commander of British forces in the Gulf has rejected suggestions that coalition bombing seriously damaged infrastructure in Basra.

Air Marshal Brian Burridge said electricity and water supplies were "the same" as before the war.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme most hospitals were short of supplies, but claimed the situation was improving "inch by inch, day by day".

His comments were echoed by the UK's armed forces spokesman, who said services in Basra were being restored.

Group Captain Al Lockwood told BBC News: "The people are coming back to work, supporting the coalition actions in controlling law and order, bringing back schools and markets."

Oxygen shortage

He added: "It's a combined operation of the coalition and the Iraqi people building their future together."

It was widely reported that coalition bombing of Basra on 21 March destroyed the infrastructure and deprived the population of basic needs for weeks.

At the time, the Red Cross warned of a humanitarian disaster, although some water has since been brought in from Kuwait.

But Air Marshal Burridge said the condition of the electrical and water utilities was the "same now as it was before the war".

He denied coalition forces had caused additional problems for Iraqi civilians, but conceded the hospitals were in "real difficulties".

Basra Recovery

It is very much something we have to do in partnership both with the Iraqis and the humanitarian aid agencies

Air Marshal Brian Burridge

Elders gather for Basra council

Restoring order to Basra

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "There is a desperate shortage of oxygen because the oxygen plants are not producing.

"Most of the hospitals are suffering from some lack of supplies. I have to say not as bad as we thought.

"We have a daily meeting between our medical specialists, the Red Cross and the directors of the hospitals in order to move all this forward.

"But the quality of health care has never been particularly good and they are in real difficulties at the moment."

He said they were trying to make Iraqis the "major stakeholders" by making them partners in the reconstruction process, with the aid agencies.

Media bias

He added: "We're getting to grips bit by bit with the basic needs of life - water, power, regenerating medical care.

"None of those things were particularly good before this conflict.

Asked about a timescale for the reconstruction process, he replied: "I couldn't say how long it is going to take but inch by inch, day by day the situation improves."

He also expressed confidence that evidence of Saddam's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programme would be unearthed.

And he said some of the media war reporting lacked "balance" and "strategic understanding".