Fed: Govt downplaying civilian casualties in Iraq: ALP

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Fed: Govt downplaying civilian casualties in Iraq: ALP

CANBERRA, Feb 10 AAP - The government has been accused of downplaying the chances ofcivilian casualties in a war against Iraq ahead of talks between the United States andAustralia on the Middle East.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd said Foreign Affairs Minister AlexanderDowner was ignoring strong evidence from the United Nations that war in Iraq would havea catastrophic impact on civilians.

Mr Downer said any war against Iraq would not involve carpet bombing which would posea significant threat to civilians.

But Mr Rudd said the UN had estimated a full war would have up to 100,000 civiliancasualties and displace up to 7.2 million people.

"If Mr Downer has different documentary evidence upon which he evaluates the likelycivilian impact of an impending war with Iraq, Mr Downer should release that evidenceto the Australian public," he said.

Defence Minister Robert Hill said he believed any war would be swift and violent.

"I expect the war to commence with overwhelming force and I don't expect it to lastlong," he said.

Labor continues to be under pressure over the strident verbal attack by frontbencherMark Latham last week against President George W Bush.

Opposition Leader Simon Crean said the party had to be careful in its use of languagewhen talking about the Iraq issue.

But there was no doubt about his own support of the US-Australian alliance.

"My support for the Australia-US alliance is unshakable," he said.

In the US, Prime Minister John Howard will meet Mr Bush tomorrow Australian time tourge support for a second UN resolution against Iraq.

AAP sw/cjh/de

KEYWORD: IRAQ AUST DAYLEAD