News Aus, AUSTRALIA would not leave its troops in Iraq any longer than necessary, Defence Minister Robert Hill said today.
Senator Hill is in Iraq to thank Australian troops and hold talks with senior officials in the US-led coalition.
“We've shown in Afghanistan, in Bougainville, in the Solomons that when we believe the job is done we withdraw our defence force, we don't leave them any longer than is absolutely necessary,” he told ABC TV.
“We have the same approach to the Middle Eastern area of operations.”peFor the moment, Australia was sticking with its role in Iraq, believing there was still a job to be done.
“We don't know how long we will be here but we believe we should be here at present because there is a task to be done,” Senator Hill said.
“It's important to consolidate the gains made through the overthrow of Saddam Hussein.”
Earlier, opposition foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd criticised Prime Minister John Howard over comments he made on British TV that Australia had put the war in Iraq behind it.
Asked about the support of the Australian community for the war in Iraq, Mr Howard indicated he did not take the support of the Australian people for granted.
“But by and large, Australia has moved on,” he said.
Mr Howard said he could not put a timeframe on how long Australia would remain in Iraq.
“I would expect we'll be there for some time,” he said.
“I can't put a time on it, but we are making progress.”
Mr Rudd accused Mr Howard of wanting to walk away from his responsibility in Iraq.
“John Howard wants to walk away from Iraq as quickly as possible because he's frightened it's become a political and security mess,” he said.
“The bottom line is that he can't just walk away from the mess which now exists on the ground in Iraq.”
Senator Hill suggested Australia would keep its force in Iraq around the same size, about 900 personnel, but would make changes based on expertise.
“From the military perspective it is true that the area of support of a new Iraqi army is important, we think we can do a little more in that regard,” he said.
“We have provided a handful of military experts who have assisted in what's been the first battalion that's now graduated.
“But we believe next year we can make some further contribution in that regard within the ceiling that we've imposed for ourselves.
“Within our force we will make changes ensure the tasks that we are taking are the tasks most relevant in terms of the needs of Iraq and the capabilities we can make some further contribution in that regard within the ceiling that we've imposed for ourselves.
“Within our force we will make changes ensure the tasks that we are taking are the tasks most relevant in terms of the needs of Iraq and the capabilities we can provide.”
