Fed: Gov't disrespecting Australians by supporting war: Democrat

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Fed: Gov't disrespecting Australians by supporting war: Democrat

SYDNEY, Feb 2 AAP - The federal government was treating Australians with disrespectby backing a war that many people disagreed with, the Australian Democrats said today.

Democrats leader Andrew Bartlett said the party would relentlessly pursue an anti-war campaign.

"The Australian government has treated them (servicemen) with disrespect, the Australianpeople with disrespect, the Australian parliament with disrespect," Mr Bartlett told journalistsin Sydney.

"It's now reaching crunch time for Australia and indeed the world and that's why theDemocrats are continuing to step up our campaign.

"We need to send a message to people around the world that this is a global movementseeking to prevent unnecessary deaths of hundred of thousands, if not millions, of innocentcivilians."

The Democrats today launched a large anti-war billboard on Victoria Road, Rozelle,with the words Don't Back Bush.

Senator Bartlett said supporting the war on Iraq would overstretch Australia's militaryresources.

"Our troops should not be away and we would love to see our troops back home," he said.

NSW upper house Democrats candidate James Lantry said Prime Minister John Howard wasmaking a major political mistake by supporting a war on Iraq.

"John Howard may well have made the one big political mistake of his career," he said.

"He has underestimated the resolve of ordinary Australians and the capacity of theAustralian Democrats and the other opponents to this war, to prevent another Vietnam."

AAP kn/ph/de

KEYWORD: IRAQ DEMOCRATS (PICS AVAILABLE)