Withdrawing Troops Would be “Worst Message” - Blair

British prime minister Tony Blair said on June 21 that the UK forces will remain in Iraq. The worst message that could be sent to Iraqis was that troops were to be withdrawn at a time when democratically elected officials were asking them to stay, he said, refusing to set a timetable for British forces to leave. Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has asked all Coalition forces to follow the Japanese example and pull out of Iraq.