War Against Iraq Could Come at Any Time: Downer

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, March 20, 2003

War Against Iraq Could Come at Any Time: Downer

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Thursday morning the war against Iraq could come at any time as the deadline for war fast approaches.

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Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Thursday morning the war against Iraq could come at any time as the deadline for war fast approaches.

He was quoted by the Australian Associated Press as saying, "The deadline is about to arrive at midday today Australian time and I think we can expect information about military action at anytime now."

Downer said 2,000 Australian troops would go into combat only after receiving orders from their Australian commanders.

The national rift on the war is deepening in the country. Two 1991 Gulf War veterans Thursday handed back their service medals in protest against the government's involvement in the war.

According to the report, a former Lieutenant and a weapons system operator both serving in the 1991 war tried to hand the medals to Prime Minister John Howard at parliament, but say they were told he was too busy to receive them. Instead, they handed the medals to the two anti-war politicians, Greens Senator Bob Brown and Labor deputy leader Jenny Macklin, who said they would try to pass them on to Howard.

Seven Australians have been in Iraq as human shields. They pledged to protect civilian targets from bombardment.

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