Sir Richard sought to clarify his comments in the interview

But General Sir Richard Dannatt denied a "chasm" with the government and said the army would remain "until the job is done".

His comments have continued to attract a range of views.

"If you read the transcript of the interview on the radio this morning and the television, he sets in proper context exactly what he was saying.

"What he is saying about wanting British forces out of Iraq is precisely the same as we are all saying.

"Our strategy is to withdraw from Iraq, when the job is done.

"We already are withdrawing from two provinces. We'll withdraw completely from Iraq as the Iraqi forces are able to handle their own security - in two provinces they are.

"In Basra they're not, which is why we will stay and get the job done."

"The Iraqi government does not wish to keep the foreign forces forever, but these forces are staying for the time being in accordance with a request by the Iraqi government and with international resolutions."

"He has given a refreshing and very honest insight to what the army generally feel and that is that the political shortcomings, and the shortcomings in the planning for the occupation of Iraq have made the job of the army very much more difficult.

"And there comes a time when the realisation on the ground is that the people of Iraq do resent foreign intervention and there comes a time when we've got to look forward to when we can hand it over to the Iraqis for them to sort out."

"He's most definitely not saying: 'Let's pull out now. Let's go'. He's not saying: 'Let's abandon the place'.

"We have got to win in Iraq, we have got to win in Afghanistan. We cannot abandon those countries...

"What he's asking for and demanding - and wanting to work towards - is a way where we can leave soon, where the security of the country is taken up perhaps by Middle Eastern countries for example, who don't seem to have much of a hand on it."

"I know Richard Dannatt well. We served together - we rubbed shoulders for a little while.

"Nothing that he does will not have been thought through very carefully.

"He's making a very bold statement, pushing his neck out a very long way, and I think he's going to find himself having to justify his comments really very carefully - and it's a very difficult atmosphere with the government."

"In terms of what he is saying about the long term in Iraq it's the reality that I would be very surprised if the prime minister wasn't in touch with.

"But I do think that perhaps ministers could be franker with the public about the situation there, and perhaps if we had that level of openness then stories like this wouldn't come as a great surprise."

"He's certainly not a lone maverick.

"He's a very bright, very experienced head of the army - and a very capable general.

"But if he's asked a direct question, he will give a direct answer and give his opinion.

"Now the effect of that of course is that it will shape public opinion about the nature of the commitment in Iraq and in Afghanistan as well."

"What he's added this morning (is): 'When the job is completed'.

"Now had he said that in the first place we'd have all been rather clearer wouldn't we?

"He also said that British troops are "exacerbating" the situation.

"Well since then he's explained that... he is backtracking, he's now saying what he should have said rather more carefully in the first place."

"If Richard Dannatt has said that these are the issues he's saying to the prime minister and he's not being listened to - then I can understand his frustration - (but) that's not what he's saying.

"And I don't think it's very helpful that a serving general - or for example a senior civil servant - is giving a running commentary on a policy development. You can't run a government like that."

"I think it's a very strange thing for the chief of the army, the chief of general staff to say....

"I think he's clarified his remarks a bit this morning - but I find it very strange.

"Normally something as important as this would be cleared, certainly with ministers in the Ministry of Defence and I would imagine also with the prime minister's office so that there was a clear policy position.

"But I think the most alarming thing is that our troops on the ground will be pretty demoralised if they think they're still conducting what is a very dangerous operation while their generals believe that they should be withdrawn."

"The fact that somebody as cautious and professional as this has done this I think is highly significant.

"Are ministers going to say, well, we encourage debate or ultimately are they going to sack him?"

"It puts the prime minister and ministers in a very, very difficult position.