WASHINGTON, Oct 13: The United States on Friday asked Britain for an explanation after a British commander urged a quick withdrawal from Iraq, and said there was no difference of opinion between Washington and London.

Britain’s army chief, General Sir Richard Dannatt, insisted on Friday that British troops would remain in Iraq “until the job is done,” backing down from his previous call for them to withdraw soon.

Since sparking a storm with his interview in Friday’s Daily Mail, Dannatt, the chief of the general staff, tried repeatedly to put to rest any impressions that he was at odds with Prime Minister Tony Blair and Defence Secretary Des Browne.

“I’m a soldier — we don’t do surrender,” Dannatt said in a brief written statement that followed television and radio interviews. “We will remain in southern Iraq until the job is done — we’re going to see this through.”

In the Daily Mail interview, Dannatt said: “I don’t say the difficulties we are experiencing round the world are caused by our presence in Iraq, but undoubtedly our presence in Iraq exacerbates them.” He told the newspaper Britain should get out “sometime soon, because our presence exacerbates the security problems.”—AFP