[link|http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/10/13/iraq.general/index.html| From CNN]

LONDON, England (CNN) -- The chief of the British Army, who triggered a political storm by calling for troops to withdraw from Iraq "soon," has denied attacking government policy, insisting he meant a phased pullout of British forces over two or three years.

Gen. Richard Dannatt said comments published in London's Daily Mail newspaper were misinterpreted as an assault on Prime Minister Tony Blair's commitment to long-term involvement in the violence-ravaged country.

"I said that we should pull out sometime soon, but that comment needs to be placed in the context of the campaign and the campaign plan," Dannatt said Friday, after the newspaper interview was published.

Also contained in that piece was the predictable boilerplate from our official mouthpiece Tony "Faux news" Snow, stating that Dannatt's comments were "taken out of context", yadda, yadda, yadda.

Damage control brigade...FORWARD!