LONDON, Oct 13: Britain’s army chief said he stood by his comments that British troops should leave Iraq soon because their presence was worsening security, but he insisted on Friday this did not represent a split with the government.

Chief of the General Staff Richard Dannatt sparked a controversy when he told Friday’s Daily Mail newspaper that postwar planning for the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq was ‘poor’ and the presence of troops there was hurting British security globally.

The remarks, extraordinary from such a senior serving officer, could have political fallout on both sides of the Atlantic. The war has damaged the standing of Prime Minister Tony Blair and is a major issue for US President George W. Bush’s allies in congressional elections next month.

Dannatt said: “I don’t say that the difficulties we are experiencing round the world are caused by our presence in Iraq, but undoubtedly our presence in Iraq exacerbates them.

“I think history will show that the planning for what happened after the initial successful war fighting phase was poor, probably based more on optimism than sound planning.”

He said that Britain should “get ourselves out some time soon because our presence exacerbates the security problems”.

Hours after Dannatt’s interview appeared, he made radio and television appearances to calm the political storm. He said his remarks were taken out of context but he did not deny them.

“It was never my intention to have this hoo-ha, which people have thoroughly enjoyed overnight, trying to suggest there is a chasm between myself and the prime minister,” he told BBC radio.

He told Sky News: “I have withdrawn none of the comments that I have made. I have given a little more explanation about what I meant by ‘some time soon’. That’s not backtracking.”

Britain has 7,200 troops in Iraq. As Washington’s main Iraq war ally, Blair originally sent 46,000 troops to join the invasion. Since March 2003, 113 British soldiers have been killed in Iraq.

POLITICAL STORM: Blair told a news conference in Scotland that having read the newspaper interview and transcripts of remarks Dannatt made to the media there was no division between them.