UK troops 'set to go'

UK troops 'set to go'

British soldiers are ready to move immediately against Iraq if they get the order for war, the UK's most senior soldier has said.

General Sir Mike Jackson, visiting troops in Kuwait on Friday, told journalists: "Four to five days would be ideal, but even if it was today, it's good to go."

Chief weapons inspector Hans Blix and Mohammed ElBaradei have now delivered their latest reports about disarming Iraq to the UN Security Council.

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Dr Blix called the destruction of 34 al-Samoud missiles a "substantial measure of disarmament".

But Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said any extra time for Saddam would be a matter of "days rather than months", he said.

As he met members of the First Irish Regiment, UK military Chief of Staff General Sir Mike Jackson rejected claims that British troops were demoralised and badly equipped.

"If anything, I'm a little concerned it may be too comfortable," he said.

"If they are required to do a dangerous job in difficult circumstances they must get used to those circumstances."

He argued war was "not inevitable" but would not comment on the timing of any invasion of Iraq, saying it was a political decision.

And although he admitted troops were not fully ready, he said this stage was not far away.

"Fully would I think be just a little bit too generous. We're pretty good and in a few more days I would agree that fully is the right word to use.

"There's a couple more ships yet to come in. I do not think war is inevitable.

"These are matters for political decision making and we will see how that goes."

BBC correspondent Nicholas Witchell said the mood among troops appeared to be good.