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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Australian general to help lead US military push into Pacific | Australian general to help lead US military push into Pacific |
| (10 days later) | |
| An Australian general will become a deputy commander of US Army Pacific, which oversees more than 60,000 American soldiers in the Asia-Pacific region. | An Australian general will become a deputy commander of US Army Pacific, which oversees more than 60,000 American soldiers in the Asia-Pacific region. |
| US army secretary John McHugh said on Monday that Major General Richard (Rick) Burr of the Australian Defence Force would direct training and supervise the Pacific command's efforts to work with Australia, New Zealand and south Asian countries. | US army secretary John McHugh said on Monday that Major General Richard (Rick) Burr of the Australian Defence Force would direct training and supervise the Pacific command's efforts to work with Australia, New Zealand and south Asian countries. |
| Barack Obama in January announced a new defence strategy to boost the country's presence in Asia because of the region's economic importance and China's rise as a military power. It aims to maintain American military pre-eminence worldwide even as the US cuts spending to reduce the nation's deficit. | Barack Obama in January announced a new defence strategy to boost the country's presence in Asia because of the region's economic importance and China's rise as a military power. It aims to maintain American military pre-eminence worldwide even as the US cuts spending to reduce the nation's deficit. |
| China has criticised the American plan, which includes deploying thousands of US marines in Australia's Northern Territory. The US has said it will assign 60% of the navy's fleet to the Pacific Ocean by 2020. Currently the navy divides its roughly 285 ships equally between the Atlantic and Pacific. | China has criticised the American plan, which includes deploying thousands of US marines in Australia's Northern Territory. The US has said it will assign 60% of the navy's fleet to the Pacific Ocean by 2020. Currently the navy divides its roughly 285 ships equally between the Atlantic and Pacific. |
| Beijing's concerns are a delicate matter for Australia, which sells coal, iron ore and other raw materials to China. | Beijing's concerns are a delicate matter for Australia, which sells coal, iron ore and other raw materials to China. |
| McHugh said the appointment of Burr was an extension of previous co-operation between Australia and the United States. "The Australians have been one of, if not the most, critical partners in places like Afghanistan," McHugh said. "We've got a lot of great allies but clearly Australia has been chief amongst them." | McHugh said the appointment of Burr was an extension of previous co-operation between Australia and the United States. "The Australians have been one of, if not the most, critical partners in places like Afghanistan," McHugh said. "We've got a lot of great allies but clearly Australia has been chief amongst them." |
| Major General Roger Matthews, another of the command's deputy commanding generals, said Burr would give US Army Pacific a regional expert who understood the intricacies of dealing with American allies. Other allies had asked about similar opportunities, he said. | Major General Roger Matthews, another of the command's deputy commanding generals, said Burr would give US Army Pacific a regional expert who understood the intricacies of dealing with American allies. Other allies had asked about similar opportunities, he said. |
| Burrs' responsibilities are to include logistics and modernising the force. He will report to Lieutenant General Francis Wiercinski, a three-star general and US Army Pacific's top commander since March 2011. | Burrs' responsibilities are to include logistics and modernising the force. He will report to Lieutenant General Francis Wiercinski, a three-star general and US Army Pacific's top commander since March 2011. |
| US Army Pacific is responsible for most American soldiers in the region except South Korea. | US Army Pacific is responsible for most American soldiers in the region except South Korea. |
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