Mon Nov 5, 2007 11:50pm AEDT .. heard on the way out this morning that Allawi said that most of Australia's contribution was in the area of intelligence; first time I have heard that.
Ali Allawi says Australian troops have made a valuable contribution in Iraq. (ADF)
A former Iraqi minister says Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd's plans to withdraw Australian troops from Iraq would not have a significant effect on security in the war-torn country.
Ali Allawi has acted as the Trade, Defence and Finance minister in the transitional Iraqi government.
Tonight at the Lowy Institute in Sydney he outlined his arguments for forming a more centralised Iraqi government with autonomy for the Kurdish minority in the country's north.
He says Australian troops have made a valuable contribution in Iraq, but the US military is capable of taking over if they leave.
"The role is still there, but it can be executed through the agencies of the US military, so if Australia pulls out tomorrow it will not have a significant effect on the combat and the battle situation in Iraq," he said.
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