Australia: Oil a factor in Iraq deployment

Nelson: Oil a factor in Iraq deployment

July 5, 2007

The Howard Government has today admitted that securing oil
supplies is a factor in Australia's continued military involvement
in Iraq.

Defence Minister Brendan Nelson said today oil was a factor in
Australia's contribution to the unpopular war, as "energy security"
and stability in the Middle East would be crucial to the nation's
future.

Speaking ahead of today's key foreign policy speech by Prime
Minister John Howard, Dr Nelson said defence was about protecting
the economy as well as physical security.

Dr Nelson also said it was important to support the "prestige"
of the US and UK.

"The defence update we're releasing today sets out many
priorities for Australia's defence and security, and resource
security is one of them," he told ABC radio.

"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?"

Federal Opposition leader Kevin Rudd has attacked Dr 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
today.

"This Government simply makes it up as it goes along on
Iraq."

Dr Nelson said the primary reason for Australian troops
remaining in Iraq was to prevent violence between the Sunni and
Shia population, and to bring stability to the region.