Nelson says troops must stay

[kiwi]

Nelson says troops must stay
September 11, 2007 - 11:04AM
The US could easily withdraw some of its 165,000 troops in Iraq, but Australia's battlegroup could not be reduced in size without placing it in danger, Defence Minister Brendan Nelson said today.

Dr Nelson said it was likely the US would maintain a presence in Iraq for some time but unfortunately there would continue to be a degree of violence there for the foreseeable future.

He said an unstable, violent Middle East was not in Australia's interests.

"That is why it is important for us to stand by the Iraqis, to support the Americans and to believe in our own troops by the way who want to see the job through," he told Sky News.

US commander General David Petraeus reported to the US Congress overnight on progress in reducing violence, pointing to the prospect of withdrawing some troops.

Labor said today the US was talking of bringing home some troops and it was now time for Australia to do the same.

But Dr Nelson said Labor did not know what it was talking about in proposing a staged, managed, negotiated drawdown of Australian combat troop.

He said late last year, on the advice of defence chiefs, the Australian battlegroup was increased in size with more troops and more armoured vehicles to ensure it could look after itself. It now had 575 personnel.

"If we were to have fewer of them there in that battlegroup, in fact their own safety would be at risk, which is why we increased the numbers," he said.

Dr Nelson said the US currently had 165,000 troops in Iraq and could readily withdraw some units.

"Of course they are in a position where they could have a staged withdrawal," he said, adding that the British had also reduced troop numbers and were expected to conduct a further drawdown some time in the next six months.

Dr Nelson said the Petraeus report reported that while the military had made progress, the achievements of the Iraqi government were patchy.

"We don't really know what the future will hold unless we all leave prematurely. We know what failure is going to look like, but it is probably less certain in terms of knowing what progress will look like in the longer term," he said. AAP