Shortly after he was appointed, he advised British forces to withdraw their forces from Basra, as their presence was increasing the violence rather than reducing it.
بعد فترة قصيرة من تعيينه نصح القوات البريطانية بسحب قواتها من البصرة حيث أن وجودها كان يزيد العنف بدلا من تقليصه.