Australia admits Iraq war about oil
The Australian government has admitted that it is involved in the Iraq war in part to protect oil supply.
Brendan Nelson, the defence minister, said oil was a factor in Australia's contribution to the unpopular war, as "energy security" and stability in the Middle East was crucial to the country's future.
His remarks add weight to war protesters' arguments that the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 was more an oil grab than a bid to remove Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction, which proved to be non-existent.
Nelson told Australian Broadcasting Corp radio that the primary reason for Australian troops remaining in Iraq was "to make sure a humanitarian crisis does not develop" between the Sunni and Shia population and to bring stability to the region.
When Australia joined the US-led invasion force of Iraq in 2003, the government said it was primarily because Iraq had weapons of mass destruction that could pose a threat to the US and its allies.
Economic defence
Nelson also said it was important to support the "prestige" of the US and UK.
"We're also there to support our key ally - that's the United States of America - and we're there to ensure that we don't have terrorism driven from Iraq which would destabilise our own region," he said.
"For these reasons in particular, one of which is energy security, it is extremely important that Australia take the view that it's in our security interests to make sure that we leave the Middle East, and leave Iraq in particular, in a position of sustainable security."
Nelson said defence was about protecting the economy as well as physical security.
"The entire [Middle East] region is an important supplier of energy, oil in particular, to the rest of the world.
"Australians and all of us need to think well what would happen if there were a premature withdrawal from Iraq?"
Kevin Rudd, the opposition leader, attacked Nelson's comments, saying they contradict what the Howard government said when the war began.
"When Mr Howard was asked back in 2003 whether this war had anything to do with oil, Mr Howard said in no way did it have anything to do with oil," Mr Rudd told reporters in Sydney on Thursday.
"This government simply makes it up as it goes along on Iraq."
China threat
Meanwhile, John Howard, the prime minister, said China's rapid military expansion risked causing greater instability in the region.
"The pace and scope of its military modernisation, particularly the development of new and disruptive capabilities such as the anti-satellite missile, could create misunderstandings and instability in the region," he said at the launch of a new defence paper.
Australia, a close US ally, has been dovish about China's military and economic development, with Beijing having overtaken Japan as the country's top trade partner.
But with Washington eyeing Canberra's close relationship with Beijing with some concern, the document launched by Howard brought his government into closer step with Japan and the US - both partners with Australia in security pacts.
Howard, who has committed Australia's military to a $43bn build-up, said Canberra had buried the "self-defeating" idea that Australia's military should be based on home defence.
"It needs to be able to defend our mainland and approaches in the unlikely event these ever come under direct military threat.
"But it must also be capable of conducting substantial operations in our immediate region, whether alone or as the leader of a coalition, and of making meaningful military contributions as a member of coalitions further abroad."
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