As the Iraq war becomes increasingly unpopular in Britain, defense chiefs have seen its toll in a recruitment crisis.

Some 90 percent of the fighting units of the British army are under-strength, the Sunday Telegraph revealed.

Senior officers fear that some regiments will be incapable of taking part in operations in Iraq without significant reinforcements from other parts of the army. According to the officers, 38 of the army's 40 infantry battalions are under-strength, including all three battalions of the parachute regiment, all six infantry regiments that make up the Scottish Division and the center Guards division. Large parts of the Royal Artillery and the logistic units are also undermanned. Recent controversy over the legality of the Iraq War and prisoner-abuse incidents have fueled the decline following the deaths of some 90 British soldiers in Iraq. The army predicts that only 1,400 recruits will join the infantry this year, a decrease of 35 percent. There are also similar shortfalls in the artillery, the cavalry and the Royal Marines, all the which have joined in service in Iraq.