http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21044648-5006029,00.html
The great battle against terrorism WE need to be clear about what is at stake in Iraq. What is at stake is Iraq's future and our future. Our enemies in Iraq deliberately create bloodshed and chaos. They hope to drive the Iraqi Government and coalition supporters towards surrender. Then they would be free to establish Iraq as a strategic base for extremist Islamist ideology and global terrorism. Such a defeat would make the world manifestly less safe and shift the extremist battleground even closer to our own homes. As President George W. Bush has said, this is the decisive ideological struggle of our time. For that reason and for their own interests, Iraq's people deserve our support. They have embraced democracy and are striving against fierce resistance to bring order to their country. This struggle for a secure and free country has demanded great sacrifice and we must not abandon the Iraqis now. That's why the new strategy announced yesterday by President Bush makes sense; it will give Iraqis the best chance to build on positive trends. It gives them a chance at victory. The Iraqi army is making real progress training new recruits and taking charge. More than 300,000 members have now been trained and equipped. A new, independent media continues to grow, in defiance of those who want to silence free speech. Courts are functioning and more judges are being trained. Policing is being reformed to better uphold the rule of law. These may seem like basic steps, but for a people who face violent threats each day, they are remarkable achievements towards stability. The enemies of stability in Iraq are terrorists, insurgents, Saddam Hussein loyalists and those committed to sectarian violence. These groups do not want Iraq to succeed. They are waging selfish battles and have no regard for the plight of the majority. They are callously deliberate in their attempts to foment divisions and incite tit-for-tat reprisals. Baghdad and al Anbar province are the crucibles in the struggle for Iraq's future. Al-Qaida Iraq is based in Anbar province and 80 per cent of sectarian violence takes place within 50km of Baghdad. In Baghdad, we know that when Iraqi and coalition forces operate in the city's neighbourhoods, violence is reduced. The presence of Iraqi and US troops provides security that enables people to get on with their lives. The new strategy recognises the need to clear neighbourhoods of troublemakers, maintain security and, eventually, build on the quality of life. This strategy begins with military action, but that alone will not guarantee success. Domestic political and economic reforms are essential. The government of Iraq must re-commit to improving services and be seen to be even handed. The government must implement promises in areas such as oil revenue distribution, enabling provincial elections and pursuing reconciliation between communities. In areas that are relatively secure, there must be renewed efforts to create jobs, especially for youth. Regional support is also important. Neighbouring states must show their support for Iraq by preventing foreign meddling that only exacerbates the strife. Iran and Syria have to show they are willing to play a constructive role in the region. In all of this, the role of coalition forces is to support Iraqis so they can take complete charge in controlling their country. We face hard choices. Our hopes for success rest on bringing security to the Iraqi population and confronting the sectarian violence. The consequences of failure would be catastrophic. If the Iraqi people, supported by the coalition, fail to defeat our enemies in Iraq, it will be a huge victory for extremists around the world. Terrorists will be emboldened in the Middle East and in our own region. Al-Qaida in Iraq has declared its intention to establish a Taliban-style caliphate in Iraq, then expand it widely. Such a regime would subjugate women, forbid the education of girls, ban music and basic technology and execute dissenters. For those who question the new strategy there is a simple question; what is the alternative? The Australian Labor Party is almost alone in the world in arguing for surrender. If Labor's retreat happened, what would be the consequences for the Iraqi people, for stability in the Middle East and for terrorism in our region? To give up now would disregard all the sacrifices that Iraqi and coalition forces have made so far. That's why the renewed effort to build security is essential. This strategy will only have a chance if the Iraqis are confident that they will continue to have our full support until they are able to take charge themselves. The United States, once again, is prepared to take on a greater burden in the interests of the free world. We appreciate their courage and commitment and offer continuing strategic support. The price of defeat for Iraq, the region and the world is too high to bear. ALEXANDER DOWNER is Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. 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