CANBERRA, March 17 AAP – Australia should follow the lead of Spain and withdraw its troops from Iraq, Australian Greens senator Kerry Nettle said today.
Senator Nettle, who will next month visit Iraq as part of an international fact-finding mission, said Australia's participation in the Iraq war had increased the chances of a terrorist strike here.
Senator Nettle, who will next month visit Iraq as part of an international fact-finding mission, said Australia's participation in the Iraq war had increased the chances of a terrorist strike here.
Spain's incoming Socialist government, elected just days after a series of train bombings in Madrid killed 201 people, has promised to withdraw Spanish troops from Iraq.
Senator Nettle said the American-led occupation should end so the Iraqi people could determine what sort of democracy they wanted to have.
“Having the occupation in place means that Iraqis cannot express their voice in a political forum,” she told reporters.
“That is why there is so much of the dissension that we're seeing within the Iraqi community.”
Senator Nettle said claims by government ministers that the Iraqi war had not increased the chances of a terrorist attack from happening here were ridiculous.
“It is ridiculous not to recognise that Australia's involvement in the invasion of Iraq is a new factor in terms of a heightened risk for Australia being a target,” she said.
Senator Nettle said her trip to Iraq would allow her to listen to the Iraqi people and to bring their voices back to the Australian public.
*An International Fact Finding Mission of parliamentarians, civil society and political analysts will visit Iraq from April 8-15 to investigate the means by which the US hopes to determine the outcome of the political process by examining the selection of the caucuses, the composition of the local councils, as well as the role of the US, its agencies and its corporations
For more information on the Mission, its members, objectives and itinerary,
please contact: Mary Lou Malig at [email protected]
