Today Reuters report that the majority of Britons feel their troops should be withdrawn from Iraq sooner rather than later, two opinion polls showed on Tuesday.

An ICM poll for the Guardian found more than 60 percent of Britons wanted the troops to be pulled out this year, while 45 percent believed the withdrawal should occur immediately.

Only 30 percent supported the stance of Prime Minister Tony Blair,
U.S. President George W. Bush's closest ally on Iraq, that British forces must stay until their Iraqi counterparts were able to provide security for the country on their own.

A Communicate Research poll for the Independent found 62 percent of Britons wanted the troops to be pulled out as soon as possible.

The poll showed 72 percent felt the Iraq war was "unwinnable". A similar number believed Iraq would slide into civil war if British and U.S. forces left.

Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih said in London on Monday the United States and Britain must not cut and run from Iraq.

"I think it would be ill-advised to do so," Salih told the BBC's Newsnight programme.

"Iraq is a pivotal state. It is in the heart of the Middle East and stability in Iraq is vital, not only to the people of Iraq but to the region and the world at large," he said.

Britain has 7,200 troops in Iraq, mainly in the south.