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

and to see neighbouring countries drawn into that conflict as a result of the tensions and killing within Iraq itself—to see Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Jordan and other countries drawn into the vortex of conflict in Iraq. Yes, if you want to know what the definition of failure is, that would be a definition of failure. I just make the point that, as far as I know, in key countries around the world there is only one major political party that supports that solution, and that is the Australian Labor Party. No matter how difficult the situation is in Iraq today, there are not too many people who join the Labor Party in thinking that a better policy would be just to wash your hands of the place, turn your backs on the people and allow them to kill each other on a scale that would make the present violence look minor. That would be a definition of failure.

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