Most Britons Say U.K. Troops Must Leave Iraq By June 30

Most Britons Say U.K. Troops Must Leave Iraq By June 30

May 10 (Bloomberg) -- Over 50 percent of Britons believe their government should pull troops out of Iraq by June 30, the Independent said, citing a NOP poll commissioned by Middlesex University for the newspaper.

Only 28 percent of people polled said they supported open- ended British military commitment in Iraq, compared with 55 percent against and 17 percent who were undecided, the newspaper said.

Most people interviewed, or 55 percent, said British troops should withdraw by June 30, the planned date for the transfer of Iraq's sovereignty to an interim government, with 16 percent supporting an immediate withdrawal, the newspaper cited the poll's findings.

The poll found British troop deployment opposed by 57 percent of all women, 53 percent of men, 52 percent of professional and managerial groups, 59 percent of unskilled workers, 61 percent of the over-65s and 54 percent of voters aged between 15 and 24-years-old, the newspaper said.

``People were sold war on the basis that it would only be temporary. Most do not want it to be an ongoing commitment,'' the newspaper cited Professor Colin Francombe, of Middlesex University, as saying.

NOP interviewed an unspecified number of people between April 30 and May 2, the newspaper said.

(Independent 5-10 1)

For the newspaper's Web site, see {INDT <GO>}



To contact the reporter on this story:
Svenja O'Donnell in London, or sodonnell [at] bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Chris Collins at collinsc [at] bloomberg.net