Australia ex-army chief urges Iraq pullout by 2006

[Eugene]

Australia ex-army chief urges Iraq pullout by 2006
Mon Aug 8, 2005 2:16 AM ET

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Foreign troops must aim to withdraw from Iraq by
the end of next year to remove one of the biggest focal points for
militant groups, former Australian defense force chief General Peter
Cosgrove said.

"I think we've got to train the Iraqis as quickly as we can and to a
point where we take one of the focal points of terrorist motivation
away, and that is foreign troops," said Cosgrove, who retired from the
top military post a month ago.

"When there is an adequate Iraqi security force, foreign troops leave
... Iraq," said Cosgrove, according to the transcript of an interview
with Australian Broadcasting Corp.'s Enough Rope program to be
broadcast later on Monday.

Asked how quickly Australian troops should leave, he said: "Well, I
figure that if we could get that done by the end of 2006 that would
be really good."

More: http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-08-08T061627Z_01_N08224648_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-SECURITY-IRAQ-AUSTRALIA-DC.XML

[WearyOne]

1. out of the job for one month and he's telling the truth ...how long before

a smear campaign starts ? This man has been there and knows the facts unlike the criminal PM.

nb: He was also Head of the Armed Forces and not just Army Chief.