Chalabi tells Australia to stay the course in Iraq

Sydney, Apr 18 (DPA) The Iraqi Governing Council's Ahmad Chalabi today urged Australia to stay engaged in Iraq and condemned the Opposition Labor Party's promise to ''withdraw the troops by Christmas'' if it won government in a general election expected in November.

Chalabi told Australia's ABC Radio that Australia's 850 troops should remain for at least 12 months to help stabilise the country.

''It is important that Australia as a country feel committed to participate in this war in Iraq, which is significant - in fact the most significant war against terrorism that exists now in the world,'' he said.

''I think that Australia should not set an arbitrary deadline,'' Chalabi added. ''I think that the longer that Australia would participate in this coalition the better it is. And I think that they should participate until the end. They've done a good job, a great job.'' Labor leader Mark Latham's controversial declaration that he would bring the troops home has angered the United States, which has a formal defence pact with Australia. US Deputy Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said yesterday that it would be sending the wrong message to the Iraqis, to terrorists and to the international community, if Australia withdrew its troops.

more