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Australia will join allies against Iraq

The announcement came as Canada gave its most explicit backing yet should force be used and as the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, called off a Middle East visit.

He decided to remain at the UN headquarters in New York and appealed to all sides in the crisis to show flexibility.

"If it does become necessary for a United States-led coalition to use force, then Australia has decided that it will make a contribution to that effort," the Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, told reporters on Tuesday.

"What we have in mind are special forces, such as the Special Air Service, for search and rescue operations and two Boeing 707s for refuelling."

Mr Howard said Australia's commitment would total 250 personnel and would also include intelligence and medical teams.

Briefing for President Clinton

His decision to contribute 110 commandos from the elite SAS force, other personnel and equipment followed a telephone call from the US President, Bill Clinton, on Saturday.

He said he would contact President Clinton later Tuesday to brief him about the government decision.

The commandos could be used to airlift any allied airmen shot down over Iraq.

The announcement makes Australia only the fourth nation after Britain, Germany and Canada to publicly pledge support for military action against Iraq.

"If Iraq were allowed to go on unchecked then of course other countries might be tempted to imitate what Iraq has done," Mr Howard said.

"There is an imperative for the region and indeed the security for the rest of the world that Iraq be denied this capacity for weapons of mass destruction.

"I ask the Australian people to understand the reasons for the government's decision, to see it in the context of our national interest and to give its support."

The Opposition leader, Kim Beazley, has given his support to Australian involvement in the operation and the government has said he will be kept fully informed.

Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien said on Monday his government supported military action against Iraq if necessary and that Canada would be ready to join the coalition being put together by the US.

Mr Chretien had previously said that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein could not be allowed to continue to defy the UN, but it was the first time he had said Canada was willing to support military action if diplomacy failed.

"We believe that a military strike against Iraq would be justified to secure compliance with Security Council Resolution 687 and all of the other Security Council resolutions concerning Iraq," Chretien told Parliament in an emergency debate.

"And we believe that Canada cannot stand on the sidelines in such a moment. Our allies, led by the United States, have asked that we support such a mission....

"It will mean that when and if every other means fails and action is taken to enforce the will of the Security Council, Canada will be counted not on the sidelines, not in isolation."

Australia provided two warships and a supply ship as part of the international force against Iraq during the Gulf War.

Joint Australia-US spy bases in the remote Australian outback -- which can eavesdrop on Iraqi communications, detect Iraqi missile launches and help locate targets within Iraq -- were also used.

They are expected to be used again in the event of any military action.

Earlier, Australia's Deputy Prime Minister, Tim Fischer, backed the use of "brutal force" against Iraq if diplomacy failed to persuade it to allow unrestricted access to UN weapons inspectors.

"There's an absolute need to continue to pursue every diplomatic initiative... to avoid if possible the use of brutal force," Mr Fischer said.

"But that use of brutal force would ultimately be justified, however reluctantly, because of the real damage that can be wrought by weapons of mass destruction -- horrific devastation of the world and the people in the world."

The UN Secretary-General said on Monday that diplomatic efforts had "reached a critical stage".

In an interview with BBC Radio's Today programme, Mr Annan said a solution should be found without forcing Iraq to lose face.

"They have painted themselves into a corner, and we need to work with them to get them to back down. But I think we should not insist on humiliating them," he said.

"We need to make sure that Baghdad will understand that the Council's resolutions are serious.

"Before I go to Baghdad, I think we have to have an understanding with key players that we are likely to come up with a workable solution and that we know what our minimum would be.

"Everyone has to show flexibility.If we maintain fundamentalist positions all around, or purist positions all around, we will not find a solution."

But another former ally in the Gulf conflict, Turkey, has sharply criticised Washington for a lack of consultation and has said it remains opposed in principle to any military attack.

Jordan says it is not willing to give its support to action which harms Iraqi civilians, and Saudi Arabia has said it will not allow its territory to be used for air strikes on Baghdad.

Meanwhile, a poll in The Guardian newspaper published in Britain on Tuesday said most people are in favour of British involvement in military action against Iraq.

The Guardian/ICM poll shows 56% of those questioned backed action, including bombing raids.

The survey also showed that support for military action is strongest among men -- and stronger among 18-24-year-olds than any other age group.

ICM interviewed a random sample of 1,200 adults (over 18) by telephone between February 6 and 8. They say their results have been weighted to the profile of all adults.

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