Fed: Govt lacks obvious exit strategy for Iraq -- RSL president

AAP General News (Australia)
04-13-2004
Fed: Govt lacks obvious exit strategy for Iraq -- RSL president

CANBERRA, April 13 AAP - The federal government has no obvious exit strategy to withdraw
Australian troops from Iraq, RSL national president Bill Crews said today.

Major General Crews said the RSL believed the government should also release more information
to the public about the conditions under which Australian troops would be taken out of
Iraq.

He said the government was not being open about its exit strategy for the troops.

"That's what I'm suggesting," he told ABC radio. "There is no obvious exit strategy.

"Clearly the government has got some parameters they're working to. Some of those can
be made public without prejudicing the security of the operations.

"They could in fact explain, not so much the timing, but the conditions under which
they see withdrawal as being passible, engage the Australian public a little more in their
deliberations to the extent that security would allow them."

Fresh doubts have been raised over how long the troops will remain in Iraq after Defence
Minister Robert Hill admitted they were not committed for the full rebuilding of the country.

The federal Opposition said Senator Hill's admission was a truth attack which fundamentally
contradicted Prime Minister John Howard's pledge that the troops would remain until the
job was done.

Maj Gen Crews said the RSL would prefer Australia's troops completed their work in
Iraq sooner rather than later.

"But there are conditions to be met before people can reasonably be withdrawn," he said.

"A job needs to be done. Our national interest needs to be continued to be served and
respected and we need to ensure that the security of our people in Iraq is maintained."

But Maj Gen Crews said his comments did not necessarily suggest he supported Labor's
call to bring Australian troops home by Christmas from Iraq.

"If they have an exit strategy, the point I'm making is that they've not made it clear
to people," he said.

"That doesn't mean I'm supporting the Opposition's consequent claim that they should
all be out by Christmas anyway.

"The truth is somewhere between the two parties at the moment."

AAP bt/rs

KEYWORD: IRAQ AUST RSL

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