2004 cabinet documents reveal deliberations around Australia’s continued involvement in Iraq war   
The release of previously private documents revealed top secret discussions around Australia’s continued involvement in the Iraq War.


January 1, 2025
News.com.au

Former prime minister John Howard has doubled down on his decision to join the US’ invasion of the Iraq war, stating while allied countries did not find the suspected weapons of mass destruction which justified the invasion, the decision was ultimately made in “Australia’s national interest” 

His comments coincide with the National Archive of Australia’s release of a tranche of 2004 cabinet records, which reflect deliberations around Australia’s ongoing commitment to the conflict.

Mr Howard committed Australia to the Iraq War, initiated by US president George W. Bush and justified due to the belief the country possessed WMDs, in 2003.

However searches failed to detect such weapons.   

Former Prime Minister John Howard said Australia’s involvement in Iraq was done in ‘Australia’s national interest’.

Although Mr Howard said that was “disappointing,” he said he still “tenaciously” believes the decisions were made in good faith and based on US and UK intelligence.

“We were wrong, in fact, but not maliciously and I thought some of the criticism, not directed as sharply in Australia … (but) I thought some of the criticism directed at (then UK prime minister) Tony Blair in Britain was very sharp and very vociferous and not justified,” he said.

He added that: “I thought my role was to assess the Australian national interest, and that’s above all what I was sworn to uphold and I thought I pursued that because I thought it was in our national interest to put a curve on the capacity of terrorists to get a hold of weapons of mass destruction … but I also thought it was in Australia’s national interest to listen carefully to assessment of the international realities and situations by our close friends and ally in the Americans”.

Mr Howard also said while allied forces did not find “stockpiles” of WMDs, “we certainly found plenty of evidence of the capacity to rapidly assemble them,” justifying his decision to commit Australian troops to the conflict.

Mr Howard said Australia’s involvement in Iraq was made in-part due to its support for the US, and due to intelligence from allied partners.
Following the initial US invasion, which resulted in the capture of Ba’athist leader Saddam Hussein in December 2003, Iraq transitioned to a new sovereign government which was slated to begin on June 28, 2004.


Cabinet records from the time reflected discussions around Australia’s continued involvement in the conflict, which was marked by insurgency from Ba’ath nationalists, Islamic Sunni, and Shia groups.

In one piece of correspondence released by the NAA, then defence minister Robert Hill wrote to Mr Howard on February 5, 2024 requesting a discussion on the “possibility of our deploying further ADF personnel to train the Iraqi army and Australia’s posture, most broadly, in Iraq”.

Mr Hill said developments in Iraq were “at a critical stage” with the country set to transition to a sovereign government from the US-controlled Coalition Provisional Authority following the 2003 Iraq War.

He added that an increased Australian defence presence would “play an important role in maintaining and enhancing Australia’s national interests in Iraq during the transition and beyond”.

It would also be a “demonstrable example” of Australia’s commitment to the US alliance, Mr Hill wrote.

Ultimately the National Security Committee agreed to deploy an additional 53 Australian Defence Force personnel to help train the Iraqi army, and committed to the continued presence of Australian warships, which was funded through the $644.7m given to the Australian Defence Department from 2004 to 2007 for Operations Bastille, Falconer and Catalyst).

Dnarever wrote on Jan 1^st, 2025 at 12:39pm:


At the time had Saddam used sarin gas on the Kurds?.

Dnarever wrote on Jan 1^st, 2025 at 1:16pm:


So at the time Saddam had used WMD against his own citizens killing more than 5,000 in one town with gas dropped from airforce planes.

Had at the time Saddam attacked and ransacked Kuwait?

Australia became involved in the Iraq war because one simple fact - fear.  Canberra feared losing the protection of the US.  Without US  military might it was felt that we would be at the mercy of China.   Howard relied on the Intelligence assessment about Iraq's supposed quest for WMD, not realising that the Intelligence assessment was based on a flawed US assessment.  The US's assessment was based on a flawed assessment of Iraq's intentions.  Iraq wanted to be considered a world player and played up it's ability to create  WMDs because it feared Iran's intentions in the region.  Basically it played on Washington's paranoia about WMDs and so the world watched as the US and the UK and Australia decided to invade.  Was it the wrong decision?  Undoubtedly.  But we must remember the world was a different place in those days. Would we make the same mistakes?  Undoubtedly, given the same circumstances.  We must remember that we are dealing with a paranoid national leader who is charged with keeping American safe.  No one is safe.  Better to be on the inside of the tent, pissing out, rather than on the outside pissing in.  We signed up to the US side in 1942.  Blame it all on John Curtin and Bob Menzies.