PM hints at Iraq troop increase

[sfc_darrel]

PM hints at Iraq troop increase

April 26, 2004
PRIME Minister John Howard today hinted more Australian troops could be deployed to Iraq.

Mr Howard made a surprise visit to Iraq for Anzac Day yesterday and met with Australian troops and US administrators in Baghdad.

He has repeatedly said he sees no reason to boost the number of troops in Iraq, but today left open the possibility of a small increase in Australia's deployment.

"If we did do more that would be appreciated," Mr Howard told ABC radio.

"I have made it very clear all along that we did not have the capacity to have large numbers of additional troops - I called them peacekeepers at the time a year ago - and that remains the case.

"That doesn't mean that if there is a small increase for whatever reason in the number of people deployed that that should be seen as some reversal of that original policy."

Mr Howard said Australians training Iraqi security forces had only just arrived in the country and he did not expect their commitment to be short-term.

"It's not a short-term commitment ... I've indicated that the upcoming Budget will fund our involvement in Iraq until the middle of next year, that's the end of the next financial year, 30th June 2005," he said.

"That doesn't mean we're going to leave on that date, it just means we're making prudent provisions for being in Iraq for a while yet."

Mr Howard said he had learnt a lot first hand from speaking to American generals and members of the Iraqi governing council on the challenges facing Iraq and the progress being made.

But he was even more determined now that Australia stay to finish the job.

"I'm more determined than ever that Australia should stay the distance and finish the task that Australia has," Mr Howard said.

Opposition Leader Mark Latham has said he would bring Australian troops home by Christmas if his party won the election expected later this year.

Mr Howard said he had concerns about some failings in the training of Iraqi police but did not accept their training had been a total failure.

"Based on what I have been told by the people I've met, I wouldn't accept that there's been total failure, but there have been quite a number of failures and that is a matter of concern," he said.

"One of the important messages that came through strongly to me is that it's important that Iraqi leaders be more prominent in publicly asserting what they so fervently believe privately and that is that the terrorists must be defeated and that the opportunity for freedom given by the removal of Saddam Hussein should not be lost."

Mr Howard is due to return home today.

He had been expected to visit Australians on HMAS Stuart but the visit was cancelled because the frigate was sent to pick up Americans wounded in a suicide attack on an oil terminal in the Persian Gulf.

"This incident is a reminder of how valuable we are," he said.

"Here's a case of suicide bombings designed to get at the oil terminals and some American coastguard people have been killed and others wounded and our vessel was there to rescue the wounded and provide the help.

"That is a live example of just how valuable is the presence of our vessel and it gives something for those who think they should come home to think about."

Australia has around 850 personnel in and around Iraq.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...5E1702,00.html

Don't forget-they still have troops in Afganistan too

Darrel