Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

First, I thank the honourable member for Boothby for his question and for his interest. I have been in Munich at the security conference there and I had the opportunity to talk with US Defense Secretary Gates, several United States Republican and Democrat members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, the German foreign minister and the defence minister, the Pakistani foreign minister, the NATO Secretary General and the Swedish foreign minister. I also went to Ankara and met with the president, the foreign minister and the speaker of their parliament, who, Mr Speaker, sent his best wishes to you—I believe you are acquainted.

The point is, in relation to the honourable member for Boothby’s question, that of course this list of people—and there were others—have a variety of different views over whether it was right or wrong to throw Saddam Hussein out of office. But they are all united on one point—that is, a precipitate withdrawal from Iraq would be disastrous. It would be a victory for terrorists. It could draw neighbouring countries, such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and possibly even Turkey, into the conflict. It would destabilise the Middle East as a whole. It would have disastrous consequences in the war against terrorism. It would embolden terrorists around the world and bring terrorism closer to Western countries. But, ultimately, it would also be a human disaster for the people of Iraq. They are suffering enough.

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