Defence chief replaced for being 'off-message' over Iraq invasion

Admiral, Sir Michael Boyce, is to be replaced as Chief of the Defence Staff, the Government announced yesterday.

The move follows reports of disagreements between Sir Michael and the Government on a number of issues, especially proposals for a war in Iraq. Sir Michael is among a number of senior British commanders who are said to question Britain's backing for a US invasion of Iraq, and are sceptical of Pentagon claims about Saddam Hussein's links with the al-Qa'ida terror organisation and his stockpiling of weapons of mass destruction

Sir Michael is said to have displeased Downing Street by being "off-message" at times during the Afghan war. On one occasion he described some US commanders as a "20th-century posse". These were hardly the words that Tony Blair, so keen to stand "shoulder to shoulder" with George Bush, wanted to hear.

Last autumn Downing Street decided that it wanted to control media briefings about the Afghan war becausemilitary commanders were being too open with some journalists. This followed a number of incidents which led to what Downing Street considered to be "inappropriate" headlines. Asked about the possible course of the war, Sir Michael told a group of defence journalists that the conflict might last as long as four years, and the broader war against terrorism might last as long as 50. On another occasion he wondered whether Britain should follow America so unconditionally.

Soon afterwards senior officers taking part in operation Saif Sareea II in Oman, seen as a precursor to deployment in Afghanistan, were asking what exactly would be their mission. Those who urged caution and asked for more clarity, including Brigadier Roger Lane, later to command the Royal Marines in Afghanistan, received reprimands.

The Ministry of Defence was told that Alastair Campbell, Downing Street's director of communications and strategy, would henceforth organise news dissemination. There followed a series of "spun" reports from Downing Street, often wildly inaccurate on military matters. The Chief of the Defence Staff was said to be exasperated.

What made the situation more difficult was that Sir Michael's predecessor, General Sir Charles Guthrie, had become exceptionally close to the Prime Minister. Even after his retirement from an unusually long tenure of four years, he remained in close contact with Mr Blair. During the war in Kosovo and the Sierra Leone conflict, Defence and Foreign Office ministers often found that Sir Charles had briefed the Prime Minister before they could. The Defence Secretary, Geoff Hoon, also clashed with Sir Charles on the issue of women serving on the front line.

In the run-up to the Afghan war, Sir Charles became the Prime Minister's unofficial adviser, even being sent as an unofficial emissary to the Middle East and Pakistan.

Mr Hoon had built up a rapport with Admiral Boyce and the two, until recently, played squash together. But they discovered that they were sidelined to an extent by Mr Blair during the Afghan war.

The Government will say the normal term in office for the Chief of the Defence Staff is two years and Sir Michael will fulfil that timescale. But it is highly unusual for a replacement to be named so far in advance.

Downing Street may find, however, that the new Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir Mike Walker, is not someone they can order around. The general is known for keeping his powder dry and his thoughts on politics much to himself. But he does not suffer fools gladly, however well connected they are.

The successor: A wise man with common sense

By Terri Judd

General Sir Michael Walker, the new Chief of Defence Staff, has been described as a wise man with a relaxed, common sense approach.

The 58-year-old appears to have been a clear favourite to succeed Admiral Sir Michael Boyce next year. Since becoming Army Chief of General Staff in 2000, the former commander of the multinational IFOR force in Bosnia has won praise for his adroit handling of a series of complex operations in Sierra Leone, Macedonia and Afghanistan.

Recent reports have suggested that, with the possibility of British forces taking part in an US-led land invasion of Iraq next year, it was felt within government circles there should be a Chief of Defence Staff from the Army.

He is also said to be suited to handling the delicate political ramifications of the post and adept at keeping is views to himself.

"As head of the army and commander of ARRC (Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps), he has experience of hugely political military jobs. He is diplomatic but not afraid to be forthright – quite prepared to stand up and say his piece but ministers will respect his decisions," said one colleague.

Since his appointment as its head in April 2000, Sir Michael has been in tune with reforms to the army, such as letting homosexuals join.