Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »

Tue 06 Jun 2007British soldiers pull out of south ArmaghThe last British soldiers pulled out of south Armagh yesterday. As the last 20 troops left yesterday morning, General Officer Commanding (GOC) Nick Parker said the dissident threat in Northern Ireland was not one meriting an army."If I look at the reality the dissidents are not a worthy target for a military force. They do not represent the sort of threat which the military infrastructure which has been built up for Operation Banner should be used for."