Troops on Web warpath over Blair military remark

LONDON, Jan 16 (Reuters) British soldiers have responded angrily to a remark by Prime Minister Tony Blair in which he said those in the military must accept that they may be called on to face danger.

In a speech last Friday on defence policy, Blair said: ''On the part of the military, they need to accept that, in a volunteer armed force, conflict and therefore casualty may be part of what they are called upon to face.'' Dozens of serving and former soldiers began posting angry responses yesterday to this part of Blair's speech on an online forum hosted by the Army Rumour Service www.arrse.co.uk, an unofficial Web site for military personnel.

''Having never served, HOW...DARE YOU make a comment like that,'' one forum user wrote under the pen name ''RFUK'', prompting a string of supportive replies.

''The finest, brightest, strongest, bravest young men and women...signed on the dotted line in selfless service of their country and you BETRAYED them by sending them into unsound conflict without adequate support,'' RFUK said.

The Defence Ministry had no immediate comment.

Another user, ''RECMEC'', said RFUK's views echoed those of ''the vast majority of our brave soldiers who are asked to lay their lives on the line for a foreign policy that is misconceived and poorly thought out''.

Blair's support for the US-led war in Iraq has become increasingly unpopular at home, opinion polls show, but criticism from within the ranks of the military has been muted.

Blair paid tribute to the bravery of British troops in Afghanistan at a news conference today.

''The troops there are doing the most incredible job and its worth just realising that some of them are in circumstances of extraordinary danger and yet fighting the Taliban with a bravery that we should be very, very proud of as a country,'' he said.

Several of those on the online military forum complained that they had inadequate equipment when serving abroad and insufficient support when they came home.

''Soldiers returning from active service do not get the care they deserve, especially those with traumatic stress issues (PTSD),'' wrote REMEC, adding that a friend decorated for bravery in Iraq had committed suicide.

Some were more supportive of the prime minister, who has said he will step down this year.

''It's ok to sit thousands of miles away and criticise the government. But when you see what really happened in Iraq under Saddam you may change your opinion slightly,'' wrote ''pavewayt3'', who described taking part in the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and unearthing mass graves of Iraqis killed under Saddam.

Reuters AB DB2338