Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=03/20/04

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-314299

TITLE=AUSTRALIA PEACE RALLIES (L-ONLY)

BYLINE=PHIL MERCER

DATELINE=SYDNEY

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: In Australia, thousands of people are marching to protest the first anniversary of the U-S led invasion of Iraq. The conservative government of John Howard sent two-thousand troops to join the campaign, a decision that has caused unease among many Australians. Phil Mercer in Sydney reports that there are far fewer protesters this year than last, when the invasion began.

TEXT: /// SFX PROTEST BAND ///

These demonstrators claim that Australia's involvement in the Iraq invasion has made the country more of a target for terrorists, a claim strongly rejected by the government.

Community and church leaders have addressed rallies up and down Australia with a simple message - that the authorities were wrong to send troops to the Gulf and that in doing so they breached international law.

/// ACT VOX POP PROTESTERS ///

(WOMAN): You know, I am just a regular Australian person and. all I can say is you must have wanted destabilization and on top of that you breached international law.

(MAN): We are here to express the opinion that what has gone on in Iraq is wrong, that what has happened in Afghanistan is wrong.

/// END ACT ///

Demonstrations have also been held in New Zealand, where the left-of-center government refused to deploy troops last year.

Australia was the third combat force in Iraq, dispatching two-thousand troops in the country's biggest combat deployment since the Vietnam War. There are 850 Australians still stationed in Iraq.

National security will likely be a hot campaign issue in federal elections later this year.

Many believe the current government of conservative Prime Minister John Howard, which has been in power for eight years, could lose the election because of its support of Washington's war on terror.

Mr. Howard has insisted Australia's long-term security depends on close military ties with the United States. (SIGNED)

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