¡¡¡¡CANBERRA, July 24 (Xinhuanet) -- Australians are puzzled over their
government's over-enthusiastic support to a possible US war against Iraq and
questioned what vital Australian interests are atstake in Iraq?
¡¡¡¡Canberra was the first country in the world to support the Bush Administration's
"preemptive strike strategy on terrorism" and has committed
itself to sending one armed brigade to a brewing war against Iraq when the
United States itself has not yet made up itsmind and the US European allies were
all hesitating.
¡¡¡¡Foreign Minister Alexander Downer was even anxious for such a war last week
when he visited Washington. "Only a fool would support a policy of appeasing
Iraq," he said.
¡¡¡¡But Australian media were puzzled over the stance.
¡¡¡¡The Australian Financial Review questioned Tuesday "Why is the Australian
government moving with such apparent insouciance on such grave matters? Why,
when other Western governments (and Australia's Islamic neighbors) are deeply
concerned about US tendencies to unilateral action, is Australia yet again
seemingly willing to blindly follow its powerful ally into mortal peril?"
¡¡¡¡Famous political analyst Paul Kelly pointed out Wednesday in The Australian
daily, "The Howard government has been unwise in talking up a strike before Bush
has begun to make the case. The upshot is that Australia now suffers potential
trade retaliation from Iraq for a war whose contingency plans aren't even on
Bush's desk let alone requests in the mail to the allies to participate."
¡¡¡¡"The core risk for Australia in the entire exercise is that Bush might fail
to build a credible basis for allied support either because such an argument
doesn't appreciated the need. Thatwould leave Australia trapped between the need
to uphold the alliance yet saddled with a partner unable to offer convincing
arguments to justify allied involvement," he commented.
¡¡¡¡The debate was fuelled by the recent Iraqi threat to reduce wheat import
from Australia. Real concern arose, as Iraq has been among Australia's top five
importers of wheat for the past five years, buying 2.352 million tons worth
443.5 million US dollars.
¡¡¡¡Downer despised the threat on Tuesday, saying Australia would not change
its policy on Iraq. On Wednesday, Prime Minister John Howard said, "Our position
is that we can't allow any country to tell us what our foreign policy must be as
a condition of taking our exports."
¡¡¡¡Opposition Labor Party's foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd expressed a
different view. He warned that rhetoric could cost thecountry hundreds of
millions of dollars in export. The Australian daily criticized in its
Wednesday's editorial that "Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, with his
dangerous and misleading rhetoric on Iraq, could cost Australia dearly."
¡¡¡¡But these arguments cannot change the government's mind. The Howard
government's policy was carefully planned. It believes Australia's national
interest lies in a close relationship with the sole superpower in the current
era. Though Australia's contributions to any previous US military actions were
all quite limited, expressing royalty to the alliance itself is very important.
¡¡¡¡After the September 11 attacks, the government invoked the Australia-New
Zealand-US Security Treaty, for the first time in its 50-year history. In the
past, Australia was assuming the treaty was about America helping it, not vice
versa. However, in the final analysis it is Australia that counts on Americans
to help in the uncertain world. Enditem
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