Anti-war poll no
surprise: Downer
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said he was not surprised by a
new poll showing most Australians did not support any US-led strike on
The row over support for a possible attack on
Mr Downer backed away from his criticism and said he had not
intended to question Mr Crean's attachment to
"I'm not arguing with Simon Crean's
patriotism or anything like that," he told ABC Television. "I think
that obviously is beyond doubt."
The softening came as a new poll found most Australians opposed a
war against
A Newspoll commissioned by SBS
Television showed 50 per cent against military action in
Strongest opposition came from those aged over 50, the generation
with direct experience of Australian involvement in the Vietnam war.
Mr Downer said he was not surprised most Australians opposed war,
because any strike was a hypothetical question and there was still hope
diplomatic efforts to avoid war would prove successful.
"The circumstances are not there at the moment for a
war," he said.
"If the circumstances are such that there was to be a war
against
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