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Aussie troops on way to Gulf
MOBILISATION of Australian forces to the Middle East will start today in preparation for war against Iraq. Troop carrier HMAS Kanimbla will leave Sydney, carrying a Sea King helicopter, amphibious landing craft, surface-to-air weapons and bomb experts. SAS soldiers will be officially farewelled in Perth on Friday, but their actual deployment date is being kept secret. And a RAAF reconnaissance team to pave the way for F/A-18 Hornets is ready to leave. Codenamed Operation Bastille, the advance deployment is billed as an attempt to frighten Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein into disarming. Operation Bastille - suggests that they consider Iraq a prison they plan to liberate, love those Aussies! But it now appears a foregone conclusion that Australia will be involved in any new Gulf war. Defence Minister Robert Hill yesterday conceded the troop build-up would add to fears Australia would join any US-led action. "I understand that and that is a reasonable inference," Senator Hill said. But he said no decision had been taken to join American strikes against Baghdad, holding out hope a peaceful solution to the Iraq crisis could be found. "Hell might freeze over first, but I doubt it" "We are putting the forces there as a pre-deployment in case we make this decision to join a coalition to forcibly disarm Saddam Hussein," Senator Hill said. The troops also needed time to acclimatise to working with US and British allies, he said. But steps towards war gathered pace when a frustrated US President George W. Bush vowed to disarm Saddam with a "coalition of the willing". "How much more time do we need to see clearly that he is not disarming?" Mr Bush said. Insisting the military build-up intensified diplomatic pressure on Iraq, Senator Hill strengthened Australia's forward deployment beyond levels previously announced. In addition to special forces soldiers, frigates and aircraft, the minister foreshadowed potential deployment of specialist troops trained to deal with biological and chemical weapons of mass destruction. They would form part of a support contingent to back up elite special forces if they go into action. Other potential support elements ordered for preparation include CH-47 Chinook troop helicopters, C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, a commando unit and navy clearance divers. The Government has also left open the option of deploying up to 14 F/A-18s. The Australians are headed to join more than 150,000 US and British troops already in position in the Persian Gulf. Prime Minister John Howard will officiate at today's farewell ceremony for the Kanimbla, which will join two other frigates already on patrol in the Gulf. Welcome aboard, mates! Posted by: Steve 2003-01-22 |
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