Australian Leader Endorses Iraq Policy

SYDNEY, Sept. 5 -- President Bush received a firm endorsement of his Iraq war policy from embattled Australian Prime Minister John Howard, who said on Wednesday that he would not withdraw any of his nation's combat troops from the country until the mission is complete.

"Australian forces will remain at their current levels in Iraq, not based on any calendar but based on conditions on the ground," said Howard, who is facing a reelection challenge in a campaign against an opponent who favors a staged withdrawal of the 1,500 Australian military personnel in Iraq.

Howard's remarks on Iraq came after a meeting with Bush during which the two leaders agreed to tighten their already close alliance by signing new agreements on defense matters, the sharing of civil nuclear technology and combating climate change.

"Good job," Bush said as he shook hands with Howard after signing the defense agreement.

Bush arrived here after making an unannounced visit to Iraq and before he meets with other world leaders gathering here for the 21-nation Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, which begins Thursday. As a security precaution, parts of the city are cordoned off by concrete barricades and steel fences.

The American president rearranged the timing of his visit here so he could be back in Washington as his administration provides a formal assessment of progress in the war to Congress on Sept. 15. Before coming here, Bush made a secretive stop at a U.S. air base in Iraq, where he raised the possibility of troop withdrawals if the security situation continues to improve.

Speaking at the news conference with Howard, Bush would not make any assurances about troop withdrawals. He said any decisions on troop levels would hinge on the advice he receives from Gen. David H. Petraeus, the U.S. military commander in Iraq, and Ryan C. Crocker, the U.S. ambassador there.

"I will then take their recommendations into account as I develop the strategy necessary to win in Iraq. That's all I'm interested in," Bush said.

While trade and other economic matters lie at the heart of the APEC agenda, Bush will also be pushing to forge agreement on security issues, including the struggle against Islamic extremism, curbing the nuclear ambitions of Iran and North Korea and keeping allies on board in the difficult wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

With six-nation North Korean nuclear talks set to resume this month, Bush will be urging the other nations to keep up pressure on the communist state to dismantle its now frozen nuclear program and its plutonium facility at Yongbyon.

Aides say Bush will be trying to get other countries on board to pressure Iran to end its suspected nuclear weapons program. Bush will be seeking cooperation from China on several fronts, including doing more to confront the humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan. Bush is also likely to discuss the U.S. trade deficit with China and the Chinese military buildup.

"Is China an issue for the world? Absolutely," Bush told reporters before leaving Washington. "But I don't view it as a negative issue. I view it as an opportunity to work with a -- one of the really significantly growing economies in the world."