LONDON, April 19: A senior British military officer, who worked in Baghdad in 2004, believes US generals try to act like gung-ho movie stars such as John Wayne, a newspaper said on Wednesday.

Brig Alan Sharp made the comments in an academic report on Britain’s influence on US foreign relations, The Daily Telegraph said.

The 46-year-old, who worked alongside the US military in Baghdad, said there was a ‘strong streak of Hollywood’ among American officers.

He said an important part to being a success in the US army was the ability to combine the ‘real and acted heroics’ of Audie Murphy, a World War II hero, and the ‘newsreel antics’ of Gen Douglas MacArthur, famed by the post-war occupation of Japan, and the ‘movie performances’ of Hollywood actors.

This may make good television back home, said Brig Sharp, adding, however, ‘loud voices, full body armour, wrap-around sunglasses, air strikes and daily broadcasts from shoulder-holster wearing brigadier generals proudly announcing how many Iraqis have been killed by US forces today’ was no ‘hearts-and-minds winning tool’.

Brig Sharp was awarded a British honour and the American Bronze Star for writing the ‘coalition campaign plan’ for Iraq during his Baghdad tour two years ago.

He is now commander of British forces in the Balkans, The Daily Telegraph said.—AFP