Prime Minister Tony Blair's government on Monday rejected claims from opposition lawmakers that a redeployment of British troops in Iraq would be a political show of support for the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush before presidential elections. Britain's Ministry of Defense has confirmed that U.S. commanders have asked for British troops to be repositioned, but stress that no decision has yet been made. Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon was scheduled to make a statement to the House of Commons on the subject later Monday. Blair's close friend and Cabinet colleague Lord Falconer said Monday a decision would be "entirely not political." "It is entirely operational," he told British Broadcasting Corp. radio.
