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Australia will send up to 70 additional military instructors to war-torn Iraq and may deploy more troops in Afghanistan, according to Prime Minister John Howard.
His remarks came ahead of a visit this week by US Vice President Dick Cheney, who is expected to urge Canberra to consider beefing up its assistance to US forces fighting in the long-running conflicts.
The move to send more soldiers to Iraq drew immediate criticism from the opposition Labor Party, which has made the withdrawal of Australian troops a major platform in its campaign to oust Howard in elections later this year.
The prime minister, a staunch supporter of US President George W. Bush, said he did not expect Cheney to ask for more combat troops in Iraq during his visit, which begins on Thursday.
But he said extra military trainers could be provided in a bid to make the war-torn country's army more self-sufficient.
“As far as combat troops are concerned, I think the current level is appropriate and I don't expect Australia to be increasing that, and I don't expect a specific request from the vice president,” Howard said.
“I wouldn't at the margin rule out some additional trainers because trainers are very important in helping get the Iraqi army ready to do the job we all want it to be able to do,” he told Australia's Channel Nine.
Howard later told reporters: “We are talking here probably up to 50 or 70 people.”
Australia has about 1,400 troops involved in Iraqi operations, with some 30 instructors training the army near Tallil in the south.
“There is a case for a few more trainers because they're doing a very good job getting the Iraqi army ready and that's what everybody wants,” Howard said.
On Afghanistan, Howard said he would keep under review Australia's military commitment of some 550 Australian soldiers.
“The situation in Afghanistan is not easy. We would like to see a greater commitment in the southern part of the country from a number of the non-NATO countries.”
Opposition leader Kevin Rudd said the Labor Party would not back any increase in the number of Australian troops in Iraq, even military trainers.
“Our troops have been there for four years now and our policy is our combat forces should come home and secondly there should be no more troops sent,” he said.
Rudd signalled, however, that Labor was receptive to the idea of Australia increasing its efforts in Afghanistan.
“This is a task that requires continued commitment,” he said.
Howard, who earlier this month attacked US presidential hopeful Barack Obama over his proposal to bring US forces home from Iraq, repeated his view that the US-led coalition should not abandon the country.
“I do not want to see a precipitate coalition withdrawal because that would plunge the country into much greater bloodshed,” he said.
“It would embolden the terrorists, it would be an enormous humiliation for the United States and it would damage Australia's security interests, particularly against terrorists in this part of the world.”
