British troops risk 'new Vietnam'

War hero Colonel Tim Collins today warned that British forces in Iraq risked being dragged into a new Vietnam.

In a scathing attack on Tony Blair's policy in Iraq, he said the coalition should be concentrating on finding diplomatic, not military, solutions.

He said there should be "more Malaya and less Vietnam".

"The United Kingdom was very successful in bringing the insurgency in Malaya [to an end] by isolating insurgents and bringing local people to bear against them, while in Vietnam the reverse was true.

"Might is not always right," he said.

The US military wants British troops to take over peacekeeping duties around Baghdad to enable US marines to launch a third ground assault on the rebel stronghold of Fallujah.

But Col Collins, who has retired from the Army, questioned the plans. "It represents on a grand strategic scale an escalation in warfare, perhaps at a time when the need is for a diplomatic offensive to bring on board other allies to solve this crisis for the good of Iraq," he said.

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon is to face a bruising Commons showdown today over the plans to send British soldiers into the US-controlled sector.

Downing Street today denied suggestions the policy in Iraq was been driven by President

Bush's re-election campaign.

"If this is about any elections, it is about the elections in Iraq," said Mr Blair's spokesman.

As the Evening Standard revealed last week, British forces could take over peacekeeping in northern Iraq troublespots. A battle group of 650 Black Watch troops has been earmarked to stand in for US

marines

policing Iskandariya and Latifiya. Defence Ministry sources say Mr Hoon will give MPs a "holding statement" saying any decision on deployment will be left to the military.