Departing NATO chief urges alliance to be ready for Iraq role

[Barrett808]

BRUSSELS (AFP) Dec 17, 2003
NATO chief George Robertson reiterated Wednesday that the alliance should be ready to play a greater role in Iraq if needed, as he bid farewell to the military organization after a four-year term at the helm.

The blunt-talking Scotsman also urged the alliance to press ahead with its growing role outside its traditional European base of operations, exemplified by its takeover of peacekeepers in Afghanistan this year.

"Do not ignore the challenge of Iraq. With Sadaam now captured, a cancer has been removed from Iraq and the Middle East," he said, referring to last weekend's arrest of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

"We must, of course, not dilute our efforts in Afghanistan. But as the worlds only multinational force packager, we should not stand aside if Iraq needs our special involvement," he said.

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