CANBERRA, Aug 2: Australian Prime Minister John Howard warned on Friday that the United States was likely to attack Iraq and Australia would probably be asked to join in.

He also acknowledged that there could be a price to pay but said the “threat posed by Iraq” should not be allowed to go unchecked.

Canberra was conscious that involvement with the United States could produce negative consequences, Howard said.

He did not spell out what those consequences could be, although Iraq has already threatened to halve its Australian wheat imports because of earlier statements in support of a pre-emptive US strike aimed at toppling President Saddam Hussein’s regime.

Howard told a Melbourne radio station that those who advocated an attack took the view that Iraq could acquire nuclear weapons or might eventually use other weapons of mass destruction against Israel or other countries.

“The world will then turn around and say to the US why didn’t you do something about this problem,” he said.

“In the end it is always in Australia’s national interest to see that the threat posed by people like Saddam is not allowed to go completely unchecked.

“On the other hand the country is a long way from Australia and there are some consequences if any military involvement were to take place.”

Military action against Iraq was more likely than not, he said.

“It is likely that if the Americans do decide on military action that they will seek some involvement from Australia,” he said. But he added that Washington had not yet asked Australia for a commitment to military action.

“It is an issue that we have to think about, but it is a hypothetical question at this time.

“The Americans have not made a decision. I know that they have not made a decision. But they are obviously looking at it very closely.

“But just when and in what circumstances and preceded by what I don’t know.”

Howard said he understood the view of those such as Australian diplomat Richard Butler, the former chief UN weapons inspector in Iraq, who counselled caution and only going to war for the right reasons.

Opposition leader Simon Crean said Howard and Foreign Minister Alexander Downer should refrain from sabre-rattling about Iraq for domestic political purposes.

“Any military action against Iraq must be based on clear evidence of Iraqi support for terrorist activity or specific information of an increased threat from nuclear, biological or chemical weapons,” he said.—AFP