Australia rules out Iraq troop withdrawal

Canberra, Feb 21: Australia ruled out withdrawing troops from Iraq today despite growing calls for Prime Minister John Howard to follow the lead of Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair by setting a timetable for a pullout.

Australia, a staunch US ally, was one of the first nations alongside Britain to commit forces to the US-led war in Iraq, and still has about 1,400 military personnel in and around Iraq with up to 70 more military trainers to be deployed soon.

Media reports say Blair plans to withdraw up to 3,000 of his country's 7,100 troops from southern Iraq by Christmas.

Howard said he had no plans to cut the 550-strong Australian battle group providing security in neighbouring areas.

''I don't think it follows from that that there should be a reduction in our 550. I mean you have got to maintain a critical mass and to do the job according to our defence advice, you need that,'' Howard told reporters in Perth.

Howard's comments will be welcomed by US Vice President Dick Cheney, due to visit Australia this week to thank Australia for its support in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Australia's handling of Iraq is a growing problem for Howard's conservative government, which is struggling in the polls with national elections due in the second half of 2007.

Australia's centre-left Labor opposition leader Kevin Rudd has taken an 8-point lead in the polls on the back of a promise to withdraw Australian combat forces from Iraq if he wins power.

A poll published yesterday found 67 per cent of Australians either want Howard to set a withdrawal date from Iraq or pull Australian forces out immediately.

Labor and the Senate's minority parties, the Greens and Australian Democrats, said Blair's move leaves Howard out of step on Iraq.

''The Howard government is clearly confused about its Iraq policy, which is based on what the US wants, not what is in Australia's interests,'' Greens leader Bob Brown said.

Underscoring the growing opposition to Australia's involvement in Iraq, protest groups said they planned demonstrations when Cheney arrived and newspaper editorials urged Howard to reexamine his Iraq commitment during Cheney's visit.

''We think it is time for Mr Howard to say enough's enough to the man who more than anyone is responsible for creating the Iraq disaster on the basis of distorted intelligence and inflated dreams of remaking the WAsia,'' the Sydney Morning Herald said in an editorial.

Reuters

Related Stories: