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Australia may lift Afghan force Sydney clashes over Cheney visit
(about 10 hours later)
US Vice-President Dick Cheney is due in Sydney with the security situation in Iraq set to top the agenda in talks with the Australian government. Clashes have broken out on the streets of Sydney between police and anti-war campaigners protesting against the visit of US Vice-President Dick Cheney.
Prime Minister John Howard has ruled out sending more combat troops to Iraq, although he has said Australia is prepared to help train the Iraqi army. The security situation in Iraq is set to top the agenda in his discussions with the Australian government.
Australia is also expected to boost its military presence in Afghanistan. Prime Minister John Howard is under strong pressure at home to announce a withdrawal of Australian forces.
Australia has been a staunch ally of the Bush administration and presently has about 1,400 troops serving in Iraq. The scuffles broke out when a crowd of protestors tried to march on the US consulate in the centre of Sydney.
But the war is becoming increasingly unpopular among Australian voters and with an election coming up later in the year, Mr Howard has ruled out adding to that number. They view Dick Cheney as one of the main architects of the Iraq war - a conflict which is becoming increasingly unpopular with the public as a whole.
Instead he is offered to send more military trainers to help the Iraqi army and to boost Australia's presence in Afghanistan - a campaign which commands broad public and political support. Afghan deployment
Defence Minister Brendan Nelson said he was concerned about a possible spring offensive by the Taleban. A poll has suggested that more than two-thirds of the Australian people want Mr Howard to announce a date for the withdrawal of the country's forces, or to order an immediate pull out.
"What I have decided to do, and the government has agreed to, is to send a small scoping group over to Afghanistan to have a very close look at it. And it's essential that we prevail, and if we do have to send more troops in we will," he said. But the Australian prime minister has refused to follow the lead of his British counterpart, Tony Blair, by laying out an exit strategy.
Defence officials say the result could be the deployment of up to 450 personnel, doubling Australia's commitment. Prior to his trip, the US vice-president had been hoping that Australia would bolster its presence in Iraq, which is currently 1,400-strong.
The opposition Labor Party supports the larger Afghan force but is demanding a withdrawal of Australian forces from southern Iraq. But Mr Howard, who faces re-election this year, has ruled that out. He has instead offered to despatch 70 military advisers to help train the Iraqi army.
It is questioning why the Howard government has expressed support for Britain's staged withdrawal of troops from Basra but refused to outline a similar timetable for the return of Australian forces. It also seems likely that Australia will double its deployment in Afghanistan, raising the number of soldiers to about 1,000.
The fight against the Taleban and al-Qaeda commands widespread public and political support.