Basra control 'handed over by 2008'

Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, said he expected a decision to be taken in the next couple of months. And he insisted the military operation in the south of the country had been a success.

"We are very close to being able to hand over Basra in my judgment," he told BBC Radio 4's The World at One.

"Just when we will reach that point is at the moment uncertain but I am fairly confident it'll be in the second half of the year."

He said the military had "succeeded" in southern Iraq, although he conceded some people might find that hard to believe.

"Our mission was to get the place and the people to a state where the Iraqis could run that part of their country if they chose to and we are very nearly there. Our mission was not to make the place look like somewhere green and peaceful," he said.

Sir Jock said ongoing operations meant the military was "very stretched" but the reductions in troop numbers in Iraq and elsewhere was having an effect.

"We are very stretched because just at the moment we are doing more than we are structured or resourced to do in the long term. We can do that in the short term; we can surge to that degree. But sooner or later we have to get back into balance. And the longer it takes to get back into balance, then the longer the recovery time becomes.

"Having said that, of course, we are now on a downward path in terms of operational tempo. We've removed our combat troops from Bosnia, and as you've seen - we've actually reduced our force levels in Iraq."

He also said he was "delighted" the Government had given the go-ahead for two new aircraft carriers. "They are important to the future defence and security policy of the United Kingdom so that's very good news," he said.