Troops to back-up to Iraqi forces, Howard says

[cal04]

Prime Minister John Howard says the new role for Australian troops in Iraq will be to provide back-up security to Iraqi troops in the area around Tallil, in southern Iraq.

The Iraqi Government is expected to announce soon that local forces will takeover responsibility for security in the Al Muthanna province, where Australian troops are currently based.

The current role of the Australians is to guard Japanese military engineers, who are expected to leave the area shortly.

Mr Howard has declined to say whether the new assignment will be more risky, but he says deployment in Iraq is always dangerous.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200606/s1666193.htm

[Chipper Chat]

1. How in the world can any Australian think that

having troops in Iraq is in their country's interest?