British troops will stay in Iraq for years rather than months, the British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw confirmed this morning.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Todayprogramme Mr Straw said: "I can't say whether it's going to be 2006 or 2007," but he insisted that there was little chance of coalition forces leaving Iraq now.
To do so would create a security vacuum which would put many lives at risk, he said.
Mr Straw was speaking following a surprise visit to British troops in Iraq by the Mr Tony Blair.
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Mr Blair told British that the war in Iraq was a "test case". If the coalition had backed down it would have been unable to intervene with other rogue states, Mr Blair said.