Anti-war protests worry British troops in the Gulf
British troops stationed in the Gulf are worried that anti-war protests mean they do not have public support at home, Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said today.
At the end of a two-day visit to servicemen and women in Kuwait, Mr Duncan Smith praised the "fantastic" efforts of forces personnel to prepare for any action and called on the British Government to ensure that they are given the best possible support and equipment.
He restated his support for the Government's approach to the Iraq crisis, but warned Tony Blair that he could not guarantee to back him unquestioningly if conflict occurred.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Westminster Hour from Kuwait, Mr Duncan Smith said: "I never give anyone a blank cheque. That would be wrong ... We will be very critical if necessary."
He added: "I believe it is important that the Government behaves correctly and if we do have to go to war that the right decisions are made and the judgements that are made are in the best interests of our servicemen and women and ultimately in the interests of Britain."
He believed UN resolutions already gave Britain and America the authority to use military force to disarm Saddam, but said it would be preferable to obtain a fresh UN mandate specifically spelling that out.
Public disquiet about a possible war was raising concern among service personnel, he said.
"Two or three of them have said unprompted to me that they hoped that they had the backing of the British people.
"I said I believed that the British people are right behind them and they just want to make sure that war is the last resort and we use the UN route and that is what we are trying to do."
While visiting the RAF’s Ali Al-Salem air base, in the Army’s 7th Armoured Division and on board a Royal Navy vessel in the Gulf, he had found both conditions and the mood of troops to be good.
