Australia ex-army chief urges Iraq pullout by 2006

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http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SYD153487.htm

Australia ex-army chief urges Iraq pullout by 2006

CANBERRA, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Foreign troops must aim to withdraw from Iraq by the end of next year to remove one of the biggest focal points for militant groups, former Australian defence force chief General Peter Cosgrove said.

Cosgrove, who retired from the top military post a month ago after 40 years of service, was speaking on Australian Broadcasting Corp.'s Enough Rope programme, to be broadcast on Monday.

"I think we've got to train the Iraqis as quickly as we can and to a point where we take one of the focal points of terrorist motivation away, and that is foreign troops," Cosgrove said according to a transcript released by the television station.

"When there is an adequate Iraqi security force, foreign troops leave ... Iraq."

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2. Former head of Australian military sees withdrawal from Iraq by 2006

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050808/wl_asia_afp/australiairaq_050808074841

SYDNEY, (AFP) - Foreign troops in Iraq are motivating "terrorists" there and should be pulled out as soon as possible, preferably by the end of 2006, the recently retired head of Australia's military said.


US-led coalition troops should be removed as quickly as local forces can be trained to take their place, said Peter Cosgrove, who stepped down as head of the Australian Defence Force in June, in a television programme to be aired late Monday.

"I think we've got to train the Iraqis as quickly as we can and to a point where we take one of the focal points of terrorist motivation away, and that is foreign troops," the retired general said in the ABC programme.

Cosgrove said foreign troops could leave once an adequate Iraqi security force was in place.

Asked how soon this could occur, he said: "Well, I figure that if we could get that done by the end of 2006, that would be really good."