Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

My question is directed to Senator Minchin in his capacity as the Minister representing the Prime Minister. I refer the minister to the announcement by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair, last week that he will start withdrawing British troops from Iraq later this year, and Denmark’s decision to withdraw its 430 ground troops in August. I also refer the minister to Vice President Cheney’s acknowledgement at the weekend that he did not think that the withdrawal of Australian troops from Iraq would harm our alliance with the United States. Didn’t also the Iraqi deputy foreign minister say last week that the Iraqi government would have no problem with a timetable for the withdrawal of Australian troops? Don’t these developments totally destroy each pillar of the government’s rationale for not planning a timetable for withdrawing Australian combat troops from Iraq? Will the government now accept the need for Australia to develop a strategy for exit from Iraq?