Australia to send new taskforce to Iraq
February 22, 2005 - 12:42PM
Australia will send a new 450-strong military taskforce to Iraq to help with the rebuilding process in the war-torn country, Prime Minister John Howard said today.
He said the taskforce would work alongside Japanese forces rebuilding roads and schools in southern Iraq and also help train Iraqi security forces.
Mr Howard said the rebuilding process was even more essential following the elections in Iraq last month.
``The government believes that Iraq is very much at a tilting point and it's very important that the opportunity of democracy, not only in Iraq, but also in other parts of the Middle East be seized and consolidated,'' he told reporters.
The 450-strong cavalry, infantry and training team will be based in Al Muthanna province in southern Iraq and will have 40 ASLAV armoured vehicles.
``The first (task) will be to provide a secure environment for the Japanese engineering and support forces which are making a valuable humanitarian contribution to the rebuilding process,'' Mr Howard said.
The task group will also be involved importantly in the further training of Iraqi security forces.
``That training is essential to the Iraqis in the future being able to take over the internal and external defence of their country.''
The great bulk of the troops would be drawn from the Darwin first brigade, Mr Howard said.
Mr Howard said the contribution had been requested by the Japanese government.
``There have been discussions between the Australian government, the British government - bearing in mind the United Kingdom forces have overall security responsibility for the Al Muthanna province - and the Japanese government over recent weeks,'' Mr Howard said.
``The prime minister of Japan, Junichiro Koizumi, telephoned me last Friday night and amongst other things invited and requested this Australian contribution.
``Likewise the British prime minister Mr Blair telephoned me in Auckland yesterday morning to confirm the request that had previously been conveyed by both (UK foreign minister) Jack Straw to Alexander Downer and (UK defence minister) Geoffrey Hoon to Robert Hill the defence minister.''
Mr Howard said the trigger for today's announcement was the recent decision by The Netherlands to withdraw its 1,400 troops which had been active in the area over the past two years.
``They, I think, had one rollover of those forces but decided for their own reasons not to further renew,'' Mr Howard said.
``The view was therefore taken that unless additional security could be provided to replace the Dutch, then there was a real possibility that the Japanese would no longer remain there.
``And that would have been a very serious blow to the coalition effort.''
Mr Howard said there would be two troop deployments, each spending six months in Iraq.
The move would be reviewed after six months to see if the extra Australian troops were still required for a full year, he said.
Mr Howard said he knew the decision to send extra Australian troops to Iraq would be unpopular.
``I know it will be unpopular with many people,'' he said.
``I ask those people to take into account the reasons that I have given.
``I believe this is the right decision. It will make a significant contribution to the coalition effort.
``It will make a significant contribution to the rebuilding of Iraq.''
Mr Howard said Australia's decision to send extra troops had been endorsed by the interim Iraqi government.
February 22, 2005 - 12:42PM
Australia will send a new 450-strong military taskforce to Iraq to help with the rebuilding process in the war-torn country, Prime Minister John Howard said today.
He said the taskforce would work alongside Japanese forces rebuilding roads and schools in southern Iraq and also help train Iraqi security forces.
Mr Howard said the rebuilding process was even more essential following the elections in Iraq last month.
``The government believes that Iraq is very much at a tilting point and it's very important that the opportunity of democracy, not only in Iraq, but also in other parts of the Middle East be seized and consolidated,'' he told reporters.
The 450-strong cavalry, infantry and training team will be based in Al Muthanna province in southern Iraq and will have 40 ASLAV armoured vehicles.
``The first (task) will be to provide a secure environment for the Japanese engineering and support forces which are making a valuable humanitarian contribution to the rebuilding process,'' Mr Howard said.
The task group will also be involved importantly in the further training of Iraqi security forces.
``That training is essential to the Iraqis in the future being able to take over the internal and external defence of their country.''
The great bulk of the troops would be drawn from the Darwin first brigade, Mr Howard said.
Mr Howard said the contribution had been requested by the Japanese government.
``There have been discussions between the Australian government, the British government - bearing in mind the United Kingdom forces have overall security responsibility for the Al Muthanna province - and the Japanese government over recent weeks,'' Mr Howard said.
``The prime minister of Japan, Junichiro Koizumi, telephoned me last Friday night and amongst other things invited and requested this Australian contribution.
``Likewise the British prime minister Mr Blair telephoned me in Auckland yesterday morning to confirm the request that had previously been conveyed by both (UK foreign minister) Jack Straw to Alexander Downer and (UK defence minister) Geoffrey Hoon to Robert Hill the defence minister.''
Mr Howard said the trigger for today's announcement was the recent decision by The Netherlands to withdraw its 1,400 troops which had been active in the area over the past two years.
``They, I think, had one rollover of those forces but decided for their own reasons not to further renew,'' Mr Howard said.
``The view was therefore taken that unless additional security could be provided to replace the Dutch, then there was a real possibility that the Japanese would no longer remain there.
``And that would have been a very serious blow to the coalition effort.''
Mr Howard said there would be two troop deployments, each spending six months in Iraq.
The move would be reviewed after six months to see if the extra Australian troops were still required for a full year, he said.
Mr Howard said he knew the decision to send extra Australian troops to Iraq would be unpopular.
``I know it will be unpopular with many people,'' he said.
``I ask those people to take into account the reasons that I have given.
``I believe this is the right decision. It will make a significant contribution to the coalition effort.
``It will make a significant contribution to the rebuilding of Iraq.''
Mr Howard said Australia's decision to send extra troops had been endorsed by the interim Iraqi government.
