Australian PM sees 'signs of hope' on Iraq trip

0 Comments | AFP, March, 2007

SYDNEY (AFP) — Australian Prime Minister John Howard said Monday he saw "signs of hope" in Iraq during a weekend visit but that it was too soon to gauge the success of a US troop "surge", echoing Washington's view.

The Iraq operation has reached a critical stage and Australia has no intention of pulling its soldiers out of the US-led coalition, Howard told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

"If the surge can be made to work and if the very cautious signs of hope and optimism can be converted into something stronger, then we could well still see a very good outcome," he said.

"Any suggestion that we are going to turn our backs on the Americans, are going to turn our backs on the Iraqis at this very critical stage, would be wrong.

Howard's...