Greens slam Howard plans to keep troops in Iraq as British withdraw

In Adelaide today Greens Leader Bob Brown slammed the Howard government's determination to keep troops in Iraq, even as American and British troops are withdrawn.

Britain's most senior officer in Iraq, Lieutenant General Nick Houghton, has told the media that Britain plans to withdraw its 8000 troops from Iraq by summer 2008, the first troops to be withdrawn in the next few weeks.

Last December the United States announced the withdrawal of between 5,000 and 9,000 soldiers from Iraq this year, while Spain and other countries have withdrawn their troops altogether.

"The imminent arrival of Tony Blair will highlight this difference.
Australian troops are being subject to thoughtless bravado by John Howard and Brendan Nelson and they need to be brought home immediately," Senator Brown said.