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| Axis of Evil |
| Australian Forces to follow US plan of attack |
| 2003-01-24 |
| Australian troops being sent to the Gulf will be deployed according to a Bush Administration plan for war on Iraq even though the Howard Government says it has made no decision to join a United States-led attack. The Australian contingents now on their way, or soon to go, have already been factored into US planning and their composition has been determined largely by US requests. These requests were made to senior Government members by the US Deputy Secretary of State, Richard Armitage, during his recent visit to Australia. As a result, the Government added a squadron of F/A-18 strike aircraft to the force. Although Australian military personnel who participate in any strike on Iraq will be under Australian command, their tasks will be assigned according to Washington's war plan. This involves Australian special forces and the F/A 18s being involved in initial stages of the attack. Special Air Service teams will work with US and British special forces inside Iraq to seek out biological and chemical weapons and prevent them from being used. A vital operation for these forces is expected to be to secure these weapons and weapons materials for the period following collapse of the Iraqi regime, to stop them falling into the hands of terrorists. Australian commandos from Sydney's 4RAR battalion will provide teams for any required emergency rescue of the special forces. The 14 Australian F/A-18s, with laser-guided bombs, will take part in early attacks, probably on Iraqi troops and command posts. These aircraft have less sophisticated anti-missile defences than the American strike aircraft but will be protected by US airborne anti-missile systems. Wild Weasels "R"Us As Australia became only the second country after Britain to deploy forces to the Gulf region to support the massive US military build-up, the White House publicly thanked Mr Howard for the commitment. A spokesman said: "The President is very grateful and today publicly thanks the people of Australia and the Government of Australia for their actions. It will help keep the peace." Mr Howard insisted yesterday that there had been "no final, nor even tentative" decision for Australia to go to war against Iraq. He said he did not want to see military conflict and argued that sending forces now might help avoid war by showing the Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, that the world meant its threat to act if he did not disarm. And although Mr Howard repeated that he believed the United Nations processes should be given more time, he made it clear that he believed Australia's national interest required Iraq to be forcibly disarmed if necessary. He was prepared to "brave" adverse public opinion if necessary to do what he believed was right for Australia. Bali was the wake-up call, he got it. Meanwhile, the US and Britain signalled yesterday that they already had UN authority for a war against Iraq and no further Security Council resolution was necessarily. The British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, who had talks yesterday with the US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, said that if the Security Council did not back the use of force against Iraq "the authority of the UN and international order" were at stake. Both Mr Straw and Mr Powell said that last November's Security Council resolution, warning Iraq that if it failed to disarm it faced serious consequences, meant "only one thing: force". The head of the UN weapons inspection team, Hans Blix, will report on progress to the UN next Tuesday morning, Sydney time. This report is expected to trigger a US countdown to military action. Tick..tick..tick.. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #2 According to Iraqi war plans, as leaked to al-Ahram last Aug. 22, the Saddamites intend to attack all landings in order to prevent formation of troop concentrations. That is unworkable because the anti-Saddamites can counter any movement against allied troops. Within 48 hours of the commencement of conflict, the enemy will be without: effective command; effective means to fight; and the will to fight anyone except Saddam. However, it will be a serious mistake if the allies permit termination of conflict by means of status quo armistice arrangements. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-01-24 18:54:06 |
| #1 The Anglosphere awakes... |
| Posted by: Ptah 2003-01-24 13:28:23 |