Fed: Iraq coalition not falling apart - Howard

AAP General News (Australia)
04-21-2004
Fed: Iraq coalition not falling apart - Howard

By Maria Hawthorne

CANBERRA, April 21 AAP - Prime Minister John Howard today denied the United States-led
coalition in Iraq was disintegrating as a third country said it would pull its troops
out and car bombs rocked the southern Iraqi city of Basra.

New Zealand troops in Basra were confined to base today after a series of simultaneous
car bombs killed at least 55 people and injured another 200.

About seven Australian defence personnel are understood to be in Basra but the Defence
Department was unable to confirm if they were also confined to base.

Mr Howard acknowledged Australian troops were in danger and said there was no guarantee
Australia would not suffer casualties.

"They are in danger. Any forces in Iraq are in danger, any civilians are in danger,
military operations are dangerous," he told Melbourne radio 3AW.

"People shouldn't take for granted - just because we have had a casualty-free involvement,
thank God, so far - that that will continue indefinitely. I certainly hope it does."

The Dominican Republic today followed Honduras and Spain in announcing it would immediately
withdraw its troops, while senior Thai officials have also raised concerns about the security
situation in southern Iraq and its possible impact on their mission.

But Mr Howard said the coalition was still strong.

"I don't think it's unravelling. There's a clear departure by Spain, and it seems likely
Honduras, Thailand don't know," Mr Howard said.

"That's regrettable. That will encourage the terrorists. It will make it harder for
those who are left, no doubt about that."

Opposition leader Mark Latham, who has promised to bring Australian troops home by
Christmas under a Labor government, said it was vital the government came up with an exit
strategy for the troops.

Mr Latham said a British military commander's comments that coalition troops might
have to stay in Iraq for another 10 years were frightening.

"Ten years ... is just way out of control," he told the John Laws radio show.

"Are we going to play a 10-year role, a decade-long role managing ethnic and religious
and nationalistic tensions in Iraq? That's not the best use of Australia's military capacity.

"We've got other priorities here and the region, obviously for the defence of Australia
in the real war against terrorism.

"If Australia had unlimited military resources it might be a different story but you've
actually got to make some choices and set some priorities," Mr Latham said.

Australian troops were in the equivalent of a war zone and it was not surprising that
they would come under fire, he said.

AAP mfh/sw/lb/de

KEYWORD: IRAQ AUST NIGHTLEAD

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