More British troops head to Iraq

The Royal Green Jackets' motto is 'swift and bold'

About 1,200 extra British troops will be sent to Iraq in the coming weeks, Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon has announced.

As the extra deployment was confirmed, Downing Street was quick to insist it was not "a knee-jerk response" to recent attacks.

Tony Blair's official spokesman said it had been "a detailed, targeted response" to achieving the objectives of improving Iraq's infrastructure and security and of getting an Iraqi government in place.

But Foreign Secretary Jack Straw told MPs that he would not want to suggest "that everything was got right" in preparing for the aftermath of war on Iraq.

News of the deployment was followed by a call from the incoming leader of one of the UK's biggest unions for Tony Blair to resign over the Iraq war.

I don't for a moment suggest that everything was got right - that's palpably not the case Jack Straw Foreign Secretary Click here to see a map showing the different military zones in Iraq

Tony Woodley, of the Transport and General Workers' Union, told a fringe meeting at the TUC's annual congress: "It's outrageous that a Labour government should not stand up and say: 'I was wrong and what I did was illegal, it was unjustified and I apologise and I resign.'"

Earlier, shadow defence secretary Bernard Jenkin said the deployment of troops was "a necessary step" but was also "a humiliation" for a government which had hoped to reduce its military commitment to Iraq.

Paul Keetch, the Liberal Democrat defence spokesman, also welcomed the move, but said it was "a drop in the ocean" with security only likely to be imposed once there was a multi-national force under UN command in Iraq.

The troops are from the 2nd Battalion The Light Infantry, which has already been switched to Iraq from their base in Cyprus, and 1st Battalion The Royal Green Jackets.

There are already more than 10,000 British soldiers in Iraq but the extra numbers are needed because the security situation in the south of the country has worsened.

There will initially be 1,200 troops heading to Iraq in the next few days, with an estimated 1,000 more troops expected to follow within the next few weeks as reinforcements once a review of forces in the Gulf is complete.

HAVE YOUR SAY Iraq will not stabilise with foreign troops present as the Iraqis simply do not want them there Daley, Sheffield, UK Send us your comments

Mr Hoon said there was an "immediate requirement" for the two battalions, plus some additional specialist personnel and equipment, to go to the UK's area of operations in the south of the country, around Basra.

A full review of force strength was under way and "the full scale of the requirement ... has yet to be developed", he said.

"These measures will give extra capabilities to our commanders in theatre, allowing them to increase their proactive efforts to improve wider security across the region, and allowing them to support the essential reconstruction and regeneration efforts in their area of operations," said Mr Hoon.

"We are determined to help the Iraqi people to a new, peaceful and secure future for themselves and we will meet this commitment with appropriate forces in Iraq for as long as required and no longer."

Mr Hoon came under fire from both sides of the Commons over Iraq during testy scenes on the MPs' first day back following the summer break.

Former cabinet minister Robin Cook, who resigned as Commons leader over the conflict, said doubts remained over the decision to go to war.

'Shambles' in Iraq

Tory Andrew Mackay said it was the first time in more than 20 years a defence secretary had failed to make a full statement to MPs when so many British troops were being deployed.

Attacks on British troops have raised fears of a protracted guerrilla campaign Q&A: Extra troops

He said the post-conflict situation in Iraq was "a shambles" due to a lack of proper advance planning.

In a later statement to the Commons, Mr Straw rejected claims there had been a "shortage of planning" for post-war Iraq.

He said last month's attacks on UN's Baghdad headquarters and Najaf had been the work of "terrorists".

But he said in hindsight, "I think there would have been more effective preparations to deal with the possibility of terrorism".

"I don't for a moment suggest that everything was got right - that's palpably not the case."

Mr Straw said the speed with which Saddam Hussein's regime fell and the power vacuum that followed "was not anticipated".

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