John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

No—no to both questions. I have not shifted my position on Iraq. My position on Iraq remains that if the coalition were to withdraw from Iraq, an enormous propaganda victory would be delivered to the terrorists. They would use our withdrawal as a recruiting ground, particularly in Indonesia. The Leader of the Opposition often talks about our obligations to deal with terrorism closer to home. I ask the Leader of the Opposition: why does he want to give a propaganda boost to JI in Indonesia? Why does he want to do that if he is so concerned about the impact of terrorism at home? He must know, with his much vaunted understanding of international affairs, that a humiliation for America, a premature retreat by the coalition in Iraq, would deliver an enormous propaganda victory to the terrorists. They would use that and they would use it close to Australia.

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