Australia Doesn't Rule Out Joining Attack on Iraq

November 11, 2002
By Patrick Goodenough, CNSNews.com Pacific Rim Bureau Chief

Australia has not ruled out participating in a military strike on Iraq regardless of a United Nations mandate.

Welcoming last Friday's Security Council resolution demanding that Saddam Hussein reveal his weapons of mass destruction programs and accept a fresh weapons inspection effort, Prime Minister John Howard said the onus was now on Iraq to reverse its defiance and cooperate with the U.N.
"Iraq should be in no doubt as to the consequences of non-compliance."

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the government would not rule in or out joining military action if it came to that.

The government would consider any request that may come from the U.S., he added.

Defense Minister Robert Hill said it was the international community's responsibility to ensure that the new resolution was enforced "through whatever means is necessary."

Hill said if Iraq failed to comply, the U.S. could argue that it was entitled to take military action without awaiting a new resolution.

Former U.N. weapons inspector Richard Butler - an Australian diplomat - said at the weekend he doubted Saddam would comply fully with the demands of the resolution.

He predicted the U.S. would be unhappy with the degree of compliance, while Russia would push for Baghdad to be given more time, sparking a new debate in the Security Council.

Earlier this year, Australia's in principle support for military action drew an angry response from the Iraqi government, who threatened to ban all imports of wheat from Australia, its largest supplier.

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