Bush victory plan is "overly optmistic"

7.51.53pm GMT Wed 30th Nov 2005

Commenting on the publication by the White House of a new strategy document for victory in Iraq, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokesman Sir Menzies Campbell QC MP said:

"It is a great pity that the coalition did not publish such a document before military action was commenced.

"The analysis and tone seem to be overly optimistic, not least because of the bold assertion that "our strategy is working", and appears to be divorced from reality.

"A sharp question which arises must be what contributions, if any, were made by the Foreign Office and the Ministry of Defence since this is a strategy which will bind UK forces."