Beazley: ”troops out of Iraq"

Mr Beazley accused Prime Minister John Howard of "looking for a mission" for Australian troops.

"John Howard has missed a golden opportunity for an exit strategy from Iraq,'' he said. "He said that those troops were going in to support the Japanese and he had a whole series of reasons why Australia and Japan needed to be close.
"Well the Japanese are now going and the Australians should go as well.''
Mr Beazley said the Government was looking for a job for its troops in Iraq when there was clearly a need for them closer to home.

Mr Beazley said Australia's foray into Iraq had involved one mistake after another.
"Every feature of this conflict has involved one misjudgment after another. Quite frankly, the Australian Government ought to be very sparing with the lives and roles of Australian soldiers. They should not be there, they should be out, all of them, now."

"It looks like he's looking for a mission for them,'' he said. "The mission is called the arc of instability in the region around Australia, where more and more is being asked of us and that is where our focus ought to be.''

Mr Beazley said Australia's foray into Iraq had involved one mistake after another.
"Every feature of this conflict has involved one misjudgment after another. Quite frankly, the Australian Government ought to be very sparing with the lives and roles of Australian soldiers. They should not be there, they should be out, all of them, now."