Defence Secretary flies in as the British Army prepares to pull out

Geoff Hoon, the Defence Secretary, yesterday became the first member of a British or US government to visit Iraq since before the 1991 Gulf war. But his visit came as the senior British Army officer in Basra, Brigadier General Graham Binns, warned that the initial welcome for British troops could turn sour if the international community failed to deliver benefits.

Mr Hoon's visit, to thank British forces for their contribution to the war, also came as it emerged that ministers are planning to bring home two of the three brigades in Iraq. The 16th Air Assault Brigade and 3 Commando are both likely to leave Iraq with the 7th Armoured Brigade, which took Basra, remaining in southern Iraq.

Brigadier Binns acknowledged that there, "are those who see us as an army of occupation and wish to see us leave as soon as possible".