Fed: Australian troops in Iraq for the long haul - Democrats

AAP General News (Australia)
04-19-2004
Fed: Australian troops in Iraq for the long haul - Democrats

SYDNEY, April 19 AAP - Australia's troops in Iraq have an obligation to stay for the
long haul, Australian Democrats leader Andrew Bartlett said today.

His comments come after Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero ordered
his country's 1,400 troops in Iraq to return home as soon as possible.

Zapatero had said previously he would pull the troops out if the United Nations didn't
take charge in Iraq by June 30.

Senator Bartlett today said the Democrats always believed Australian troops should
not have been part of the invasion of Iraq because it was against international law.

"(But) ... the situation now is that we are part of ... the occupying forces and under
international law we have an obligation to stay there until there is a transition to a
proper authority and to assist in rebuilding infrastructure," Senator Bartlett said.

"Everybody needs to recognise ... (that) because our government made that appalling
decision to support breaking international law and being part of an invasion, Australia
is tied to Iraq for the long haul."

The context in which Australian troops will serve in Iraq will depend on when the new
authority is put in place and what it wants Australia to do, Senator Bartlett said.

"If a new administration wants us to play a peacekeeping role then we've got an obligation
to consider that," he said.

"We ... will do everything possible to get that transition to local rule happening
as soon as possible and get the United Nations back in there as soon as possible."

AAP rh/nf/sco/jlw

KEYWORD: IRAQ AUST DEMOCRATS

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