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British reinforcements arrive in southern Iraq

British troop reinforcements began arriving in Iraq yesterday as US President George W. Bush prepared to seek more international help to stem violence illustrated by a missile attack on a plane at Baghdad airport.

Under pressure over his handling of postwar Iraq, Bush was also expected to use a televised address yesterday evening to try to convince Americans they must stay the course.

Most nations remain wary of sending troops to Iraq under US leadership, and it was left to Washington's most faithful ally, London, once again to take a symbolic lead in responding to the American call for help.

Only 120 soldiers flew in from Cyprus to British-controlled southern Iraq yesterday.

But the government of Prime Minister Tony Blair -- mocked by critics as a poodle of Bush -- is reported to be considering sending up to 3,000 more troops to swell its 11,000-strong contingent.

The dangers of occupying Iraq were highlighted again on Saturday, when guerrillas fired several missiles at a US transport plane taking off from Baghdad but failed to hit it.

The incident, confirmed by the military yesterday, was the third of its kind since May 1, when Washington declared an end to major combat in Iraq after toppling former president Saddam Hussein.

The US, which has some 130,000 troops in Iraq, wants other nations to send 15,000 soldiers, on top of the 9,000 already in Iraq alongside US and British forces.

Washington has proposed a draft UN resolution to mandate a larger multinational force to occupy Iraq.

But anti-war trio France, Germany and Russia oppose it, saying it does not give enough control to the UN and puts too little emphasis on handing over power to Iraqis.

Bush's scheduled 15-minute speech -- starting at 8:30pm in Washington and coming just before the second anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks -- is likely to be an effort to reassure Americans about the mission in Iraq.

"Bush's foreign policy is in trouble," said Douglas Brinkley, a professor of American government at the University of New Orleans. "This is not an optional speech. It's a political imperative for a president who wants to win re-election next year."

US soldiers, already pro-British because of UK backing for the March invasion, cheered London's small reinforcement.

"Oh man, good news. I'd say the more troops that come in alleviates the burden on us and helps us get home earlier," said Private Nathaniel Spears, 34, from Arkansas, as he humped trash sacks at a US military base in Tikrit.

"Tell them to bring in as many Brits as they can. The French, they can stay just where they're at. Don't need 'em, don't want 'em."

In Baghdad, about 50 protesters gathered at the US-led ruling authority's headquarters in a former palace of Saddam, chanting, "With our souls and blood, we redeem you Saddam."
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