Australia risks being left in Iraq

Australia risks being left in Iraq
Sydney Morning Herald
August 25, 2007

Australian soldiers could wind up "holding the baby in an Iraq civil war", Labor's foreign affairs spokesman Robert McClelland says.

Mr McClelland today called on Prime Minister John Howard to clarify comments printed in The Australian in which he appeared to commit Australian troops to remain in Iraq as other troops were leaving.

"Its now imperative for the prime minister to clarify what he means when he says Australian troops may remain in Iraq even though the US and British may commit to a phase withdrawal," Mr McClelland said.

"Given that we rely heavily on support from those two countries, there's every chance that the security situation faced by our troops could be made more dangerous.

"We could be the last ones holding the baby in an Iraq civil war."

Mr McClelland said Mr Howard was attempting to sound tough and single minded on the Iraq issue in an election year.

"This is preventing him from recognising and acknowledging that his current open-ended and unconditional strategy is failing in Iraq," Mr McClelland said.

"And in particular, it is failing to put real pressure on Prime Minister Maliki in Iraq, to get their own house in order and make the necessary political compromises to end the political violence in Iraq.