Fed: Deployment of ship to Gulf proves war will last long - ALP
CANBERRA, April 2 AAP - The deployment of HMAS Sydney to the Persian Gulf for the waron Iraq proved the conflict would last longer than the government had planned, Labor said.
The frigate will this month replace two other Australian vessels involved in the waron Iraq in a sign the conflict could last some time.
HMAS Anzac and HMAS Darwin would return to Australia at the end of the month.
Labor's defence spokesman Chris Evans said the deployment of HMAS Sydney proved thewar would be longer, dirtier and more costly than expected.
"They've been less than frank with the Australian public with promises our commitmentwas going to be short and clean," Senator Evans said.
"What we were seeing with (yesterday's) announcement is that Australia's commitmentis going to be longer, dirtier and more costly than we were promised."
But Defence Minister Robert Hill and Defence Force Chief Peter Cosgrove said the warwas going according to plan.
General Cosgrove said Australia had had access to all war plans for Iraq during theirdevelopment.
"Notwithstanding some unexpected or unusual events that have occurred, the war is righton its timeline and well within the success parameters the plan envisaged," he said.
General Cosgrove said that after less than two weeks large sections of Iraq were undercoalition control and the Iraqi army was severely weakened. The regime had been hit preciselyand hard.
AAP sal/cjh/jlw
KEYWORD: IRAQ AUST DAYLEAD
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