TRYING TO GET OFF OF THE LEFT (OR WRONG) SIDE OF HISTORY:

Latham in retreat on Iraq troops (John Kerin, Dennis Shanahan and Drew Warne-Smith, June 12, 2004, news.com.au)

MARK LATHAM is retreating on his promise to pull Australian troops out of Iraq by Christmas, suggesting almost a third of the contingent could stay on under a Labor government to guard diplomats in Baghdad.

As the pressure mounted on Labor from the US to stay the course, new Iraqi president Sheikh Ghazi al-Yawer also appealed for Australian soldiers not to abandon the country.

Mr al-Yawer said: "I'm not going to talk about how disastrous" it would be for Australia to withdraw from Iraq, echoing comments from US President George W.Bush, who last week urged the Opposition to rethink its policy.

"We would really welcome having Australia keep participating in peacekeeping and stability-keeping in Iraq," he said in Washington after praising the contribution of Australian troops.

Mr Latham, in a reversal of his hardline position, said yesterday that Labor would consider keeping a detachment of troops - about 90 of the 270-strong force now in Iraq - to protect staff in Australia's representative office in Baghdad, if that was the security advice.

The new democratic leaders of Iraq are the best weapon for changing the terms of the debate.

Posted by Orrin Judd at June 11, 2004 8:58 PM