Anti-War Protesters Rally as Australia Debates Iraq

04/02/2003| IslamWeb

Hundreds of anti-war protesters gathered in front of Australia's parliament Tuesday as Prime Minister John Howard began an emotional debate over the government's staunch support for the tough U.S. stance on Iraq. With a fresh opinion poll showing overwhelming opposition to Australian participation in a U.S.-led war on Iraq, Howard canceled regular debate as parliament returned from summer recess to explain his backing for Washington.

"Now is not the time to relieve the pressure on Iraq. And there is only one form of pressure that (Iraqi President) Saddam Hussein  understands, and that is the threat of military force," Howard told parliament's first sitting of 2003.

About 400 peaceful activists waving banners reading "No blood for oil" and "Bring our troops home" massed before parliament to protest Canberra's persistent support of President Bush  and Howard's decision to pre-deploy troops to the Gulf.

Opposition lawmakers said a controversial move in January to send 350 troops and a frigate to the Gulf as part of a U.S. and British buildup on Iraq's doorstep proved Australia was irrevocably committed to U.S.-led action.

"What we've just heard from the prime minister is a justification of war, not a plan for peace," opposition Labor leader Simon Crean told parliament. "He's already committed our troops to war without a mandate from the Australian people...and without a mandate from the United Nations ."

Outside, war veterans, church leaders, Green groups and doctors mingled with elderly in wheelchairs and babies in strollers to rail against Canberra's pre-deployment of troops.

BOILS DOWN TO OIL

"I'm here because I don't believe the Australian people have been informed why Mr. Howard has taken it into his hands to send the troops overseas," one Vietnam war veteran, who declined to be named, told Reuters.

Wearing six war medals and carrying a "No War" sign covered with poppies, the 63-year-old veteran said he had two sons in the army and two nephews in the navy -- all of whom would serve in Iraq if the call came. But he questioned the motive for war.

"Personally, I think it's about oil. If they wanted to get Saddam Hussein, they could have got him before," he said.

A Newspoll survey in the Australian newspaper Tuesday showed that while 57 percent of respondents supported a war in Iraq with U.N. backing, 76 percent opposed joining a U.S.-led attack that did not have U.N. approval.

While Howard said he has not yet committed to joining any military action, critics seized on a leaked memo in which Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told New Zealand diplomats it would be difficult to withdraw troops if the U.N. process broke down.

Downer said he had been referring to troops enforcing U.N. sanctions against Iraq, not those pre-deployed to the Gulf in January -- who could be recalled if the government wanted.

"Obviously the Australian government...could make any decision it wants in relation to the Australia deployment, there is no question about that," Downer told reporters.

Howard said he would tell Bush and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan  when he travels to the United States next week that he believes the United Nations needs to pass a second resolution to unite world opinion on the need for action to disarm Iraq.


PHOTO CAPTION

Anti-war protesters greet Australia Prime Minister John Howard (R) as he arrives at Parliament House in Canberra February 4, 2003, to prepare for an emotional debate over his government's support of the tough U.S. stance on Iraq. REUTERS/Greenpeace/Handout