Australia: US needs our army - 9 September, 2002

The United States wants Australian military support if President George  Bush decides to
launch a pre-emptive strike against Iraq's President  Saddam Hussein.
 
US Deputy Secretary of State, Richard Armitage, told the Sydney Morning  Herald newspaper: "If that is the President's decision, as in every  major endeavor since 1941 we'd want to be involved with our Australian  allies." But he added: "That's a decision that rests with Canberra and  not with Washington".
 
The Australian Attorney-General, Daryl Williams, said it was "a very  difficult question to answer" as to whether the US legally required a UN  mandate to invade Iraq. Any request to Australia would be considered on  its merits, and the Government would take account of its own interests  and the international legal position.
 
The former Opposition leader, Kim Beazley, warned against Australia committing ground forces to any war with Iraq, saying the military was  overstretched and not equipped or trained for such an operation.
 
Henry Marconi
PRAVDA.Ru
Sydney