- CANBERRA -- The United States
has urged Opposition Leader Mark Latham to reverse his plan to pull Australian
troops out of Iraq, calling it short-sighted and an invitation to more
terrorist attacks.
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- US Ambassador Tom Schieffer told The Age that Mr Latham's
comments "could have very serious consequences beyond Australia".
Such a move risked damaging the US alliance and could assist terrorists
accomplishing larger goals, he said.
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- "Just to summarily say we are going to pull Australians
out of Iraq I think would be very short-sighted and very troubling,"
he said.
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- Mr Schieffer's comments indicate the depth of alarm within
the Bush Administration, which is struggling to hold the coalition of the
willing together in Iraq in the face of Spain's threatened withdrawal.
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- His language is stronger than comments that sparked a
diplomatic storm and allegations of improper interference last year, when
Mr Schieffer said Labor criticism of President Bush during the Iraq debate
was "of some concern" and "not very helpful" to the
relationship.
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- Yesterday, Prime Minister John Howard called on Mr Latham
to drop his "arbitrary deadline" of withdrawing troops this year,
saying it sent a very bad signal to terrorists and allies. Australian troops
could remain in Iraq indefinitely to meet their responsibilities, he said.
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- Government MP Ross Cameron said Osama bin Laden would
be "celebrating the advent of Mark Latham".
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- The comments were an invitation to terrorists to "belt"
Australia, he said.
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- Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said a withdrawal of
protective forces would expose Australian officials and Australian Defence
Association director Neil James said terrorists wanting to force a withdrawal
would now target Australian troops.
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- Mr Latham said the attacks were "ludicrous"
and he would not back down. He repeated that the 850 troops in and around
Iraq would be withdrawn when power was handed to an Iraqi administration
- scheduled for June 30 - even if it requested they remain.
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- "We decide where our troops are positioned,"
he said. "We have met our international responsibilities at this point
and our responsibility is to the defence of Australia."
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- Mr Latham's remarks are understood to have sparked serious
concern and surprise in Washington, which Mr Latham plans to visit before
the election to demonstrate his commitment to the US alliance.
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- Mr Schieffer said it was damaging to the coalition and
the war on terror "if other politicians around the world begin to
espouse the line that they are going to turn their back on Iraq and they
don't believe its important to be in Iraq to help reconstruct Iraq. I think
it could have very serious consequences.
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- "We have to be very careful how we respond to the
international situation because we don't want the bombing in Madrid to
pay political dividends to terrorists. Because if terrorists believe they
can kill people and benefit from it politically, then I think what we do
is invite more terrorists."
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- The world needed to remain united because if terrorists
believed bombings advanced their cause "all we can do then is expect
more bombings".
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- Mr Schieffer said he did not think Australia pulling
out of Iraq could have positive consequences for its relationship with
the US and risked damage to the alliance. It would also harm the situation
inside Iraq, where Australians are performing vital tasks such as air traffic
control at Baghdad airport, training new security forces and protecting
diplomatic officials, he said.
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- "You pull those kinds of people out and you basically
say we are going to leave Iraq to its own devices."
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- If the world did not help Iraq establish democracy and
security forces "the whole Middle East is going to be a pretty big
mess before its over with", he said.
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- Mr Downer has written to Mr Latham, urging him to reconsider.
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- "It would be most regrettable in the Government's
view if the international community walked away from Iraq just at the time
when a fledgling Iraqi administration was establishing itself," his
letter said.
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- The new administration would require ongoing support,
and Australian staff in Iraq would require protection from "a determined
campaign of violence" from those opposed to a democratic Iraq, Mr
Downer said.
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- Mr Howard told Parliament that Australians were engaged
in valuable and practical work.
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- "You can be the most passionate opponent in the
world of our involvement in Iraq and still acknowledge that we'll be required
to be in Iraq beyond the 30th of June," he said. "Oppose what
we did in Iraq but if you are serious about the rebuilding process, don't
set an arbitrary deadline about withdrawal."
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- Copyright © 2004 The Age Company Ltd
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- http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/03/24/1079939717516.html
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