 Mr Latham wants to strengthen ties with Asia |
The leader of Australia's opposition has vowed to end his country's "fawning compliance" with the United States if he wins elections expected this year. Labor leader Mark Latham also repeated a pledge to withdraw Australian troops from Iraq by Christmas.
He said that rather than joining in US-led "adventurism", Canberra should strengthen ties with Asian neighbours.
Prime Minister John Howard has moved Australia closer to the US, firmly backing President George Bush.
Recent opinion polls show the Labor party ahead of Mr Howard's Liberal-National coalition.
Mr Latham said Iraq was "one of the great debacles of Australian foreign policy - a war conducted for a purpose that was not true".
He said resources would have been better used "to hunt down Bin Laden, to break up al-Qaeda, to smash the networks of terrorist activity in South East Asia".
Mr Latham reaffirmed Labor's commitment to Australia's alliance with the US, but also called for more engagement with allies in Asia.
"This is the region where our natural trade advantages lie, not just in raw materials and agriculture, but in services like education and health," he said.
"This is where most of our bread will be buttered."
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Mr Latham had outlined a vision of "fortress Australia", which ignored global threats.
He labelled plans to broaden ties with Asia as a return to "the obsequious posturing" under Labor in the 1990s.
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