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

Those opposite scoff, because a defeatist policy apparently does not include withdrawal and signalling withdrawal to terrorists. I think that is a defeatist policy. To signal a defeatist policy is to encourage our enemies in Iraq and in other places around the world.

As I have said in this House once before, the simple fact is that it is very important that people think about what they wish for in Iraq. They may have a view about opinion polls, but they should think about what they wish for. On this side of the House, we wish for the success of democracy in Iraq. We wish for the success of the people of Iraq in their struggle against terrorism and against those who would incite sectarian conflict. That is what we wish for. The Labor Party oppose the surge—they said they were opposed to the surge—and I draw the Australian public’s attention to the fact that the Labor Party, as these events have demonstrated, are not driven by good judgement and wisdom but driven by public relations companies and nothing more and nothing less.

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