NT: Beazley says Aust troops should leave Iraq

AAP General News (Australia)
08-04-2006
NT: Beazley says Aust troops should leave Iraq

DARWIN, Aug 4 AAP - Opposition Leader Kim Beazley has repeated his call for Australian
troops to be withdrawn from Iraq.

It comes amid revelations Britain's outgoing ambassador William Patey warned in a leaked
memo that civil war was a more likely outcome for Iraq than a unified democratic country.

"I would have said in response to the British ambassador's comments, the issue of a
civil war (has) started in Iraq, it looks awfully like it has been going for long time
to me," Mr Beazley told reporters in Darwin.

"I do support withdrawing Australian troops from Iraq, they should not have been there
in the first place.

"We shouldn't have been there in the first place and we should be out of it now.

"You, of course, have to have a decent conversation with your allies so you don't inconvenience
them, you don't put timetables and that sort of thing on it, but we shouldn't be there."

The British ambassador made his assessment in his final dispatch - which the BBC says
it has seen - before leaving the Iraqi capital last week.

AAP km/it/bwl

KEYWORD: IRAQ AUST BEAZLEY

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