Posted on 03/10/2002 4:22:21 AM PST by knighthawk
CANBERRA, Australia: Australia would support US moves to oust Saddam Hussein as Iraq's president, if diplomatic options for his removal are exhausted, foreign minister Alexander Downer said.
The Iraqi leader is widely expected to be the next target of the US-led war on terrorism.
"We would like to see Saddam Hussein overthrown and a more democratic and more reasonable government put in place," Downer told Australia's Nine television network Sunday.
However, he said it would be premature to take military action at this time.
"The diplomatic processes would have to be exhausted before military actions could reasonably be mounted."
Downer said a poorly timed military strike would cause a "major diplomatic problem" with Iraq's neighbors in the Mideast.
Monday marks six months since the Sept 11 terror attacks on New York and Washington, which sparked the war on terrorism.
Australian Special Air Service Regiment troops are part of a coalition fighting against Taliban forces in Afghanistan.
However, Prime Minister John Howard has said Australia's involvement in the war in Afghanistan didn't automatically mean it would commit to future action on other fronts.
Australian SAS in hand-to-hand mountain combat in Afghanistan
Remember the downsizing of our military under Clinton and others? Our military is stretched thin.
Is this another one of those deals where they'll wait to see if it will be a successful operation AND THEN commit troops? If so, they better be ready to react quickly. I'm sure Iraq is more target rich than Afghanistan. And these targets will be fixed whereby we probably already have the coordinates programmed into the smart bombs. Personally, I'd like to see a daisy cutter dropped on each of Saddam's 20+ palaces.
I think they're talking about weapons inspections. Since Saddam has recently refused to agree to allow them in, I'd say diplomacy has already been exhausted. Let's Roll....
Which ones? Iran - they'd love to see Saddam's blood run down Bagdad Avenue. Kuwait - I doubt they have Saddam fan clubs. In fact, we're stationed in Kuwait to help launch the attacks. Saudi Arabia - They might go to the press to appease their radical muslims, while secretly watching CNN on big screen TV's with bowls of popcorn and beef jerky cheering at the site of laser guided bombs and laughing at the liberal press getting chewed up and spit out by Rumsfeld. Turkey - they'll be right along side of our boys breaking out as many cans of whoopass as they can.
Actually, taking out Saddam (who purportedly has the best military of any MidEast country except for Isreal) would send a huge message to the rest of the sand monkeys over their that if they are caught assisting the terrorists and/or they don't get their in-country radicals under control, they'll be next. They'll be shaking in their sandels when its all said and down.
And just for those that don't know it, they fought along side us in Nam. Took more casualties, percent-wise, as well.
Wouldn't the past 10 1/2 years pretty much indicate that the "diplomatic process" has been exhausted and doesn't work with Saddam? Doh!
Glad to hear the Aussie's statement about the situation though...
I was Australia and New Zealand in January and toured War Memorials to the ANZAC forces. It is amazing the sacrifices those guys have made!
Too bad their current governments have become so socialist.
Give him France.
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