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Australian PM says Iraq attacks won`t intimidate
Sydney, Nov 14: Australia announced it was extending its air force deployment in Iraq day as Prime Minister John Howard said the US-led coalition would not be intimidated by escalating terrorist attacks.
Sydney, Nov 14: Australia announced it was extending
its air force deployment in Iraq day as Prime Minister John
Howard said the US-led coalition would not be intimidated by
escalating terrorist attacks.
Speaking two days after 18 Italians and nine Iraqis were
killed in a suicide bombing in southern Iraq, Howard said
"these latest deaths are just another illustration of the
murderous, indiscriminate nature of the terrorist attacks that
are going on".
"If the rest of the world succumbs to this kind of intimidation, that will be a signal to terrorists in different parts of the world that if you keep it up, you'll eventually win," Howard said.
Australia was the only country besides Britain to contribute troops to the US-led invasion of Iraq and still has about 900 there mainly involved in mine-clearing, air traffic control and the search for banned weapons.
Defence Minister Robert Hill said two Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) maritime patrol aircraft will stay on in the Middle East for another six months.
The AP-3C Orion detachment and 160 personnel, based outside Iraq in an unnamed Gulf state, were originally to return home to Australia next January after their 12-month deployment.
Bureau Report
"If the rest of the world succumbs to this kind of intimidation, that will be a signal to terrorists in different parts of the world that if you keep it up, you'll eventually win," Howard said.
Australia was the only country besides Britain to contribute troops to the US-led invasion of Iraq and still has about 900 there mainly involved in mine-clearing, air traffic control and the search for banned weapons.
Defence Minister Robert Hill said two Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) maritime patrol aircraft will stay on in the Middle East for another six months.
The AP-3C Orion detachment and 160 personnel, based outside Iraq in an unnamed Gulf state, were originally to return home to Australia next January after their 12-month deployment.
Bureau Report