Australia: hasty Iraq pullout dangerous

Australia's foreign minister warned Monday that pulling U.S. coalition troops out of Iraq too soon could provoke a wider conflict in the Middle East.

The sectarian violence that al-Qaida is fomenting in Iraq could have dire consequences for the rest of the Middle East if the insurgents are allowed to succeed, said Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.

He noted that Saudi Arabia has significant ties with Iraq's Sunni Muslims, while Iran has close links to Iraq's Shiites. Turkey, meanwhile, is worried about Kurdish rebels setting up bases in northern Iraq in their fight for autonomy in southeast Turkey.

"If you allow Iraq to descend into total chaos with absolutely no international stabilization there and with an Iraqi security force unable to maintain security then there's a very high risk of (other) countries being drawn in," Downer told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.

Downer denied international forces were in Iraq to secure oil reserves, though he said oil supply disruptions were among the consequences of a regional conflict.

"The reason for international forces being in Iraq is to keep the situation stable," he said.

Australia sent 2,000 troops to support the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, and keeps about 1,600 troops in the region.