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Australian military ‘back-up’ in Iraq not ruled out, defence minister confirms Australian military ‘back-up’ in Iraq not ruled out, defence minister confirms
(about 1 hour later)
Australia will not rule out providing military “back-up assistance” to the US in Iraq, the defence minister, David Johnston, has confirmed.Australia will not rule out providing military “back-up assistance” to the US in Iraq, the defence minister, David Johnston, has confirmed.
The Australian government’s initial focus is on humanitarian airlifts to provide food and water drops to people stranded on Mount Sinjar, but Johnston left the door open to a future role, saying right-minded countries could not “just sit back and watch atrocities unfold on their nightly television without taking some action”.The Australian government’s initial focus is on humanitarian airlifts to provide food and water drops to people stranded on Mount Sinjar, but Johnston left the door open to a future role, saying right-minded countries could not “just sit back and watch atrocities unfold on their nightly television without taking some action”.
Earlier, Tony Abbott said Australia would “gladly join the humanitarian airlifts to the people stranded on Mount Sinjar”.Earlier, Tony Abbott said Australia would “gladly join the humanitarian airlifts to the people stranded on Mount Sinjar”.
“This is a potential humanitarian catastrophe,” the prime minister told the ABC on Monday.“This is a potential humanitarian catastrophe,” the prime minister told the ABC on Monday.
“President [Barack] Obama has said it’s a potential genocide, and Australia … has a long and fine tradition of decency in circumstances like this. We do have some Hercules C130 aircraft in the Middle East, we have a C17 that’s bringing humanitarian supplies from Australia in the next day or so and we’d expect to join that humanitarian airlift should it be needed some time later in the week.”“President [Barack] Obama has said it’s a potential genocide, and Australia … has a long and fine tradition of decency in circumstances like this. We do have some Hercules C130 aircraft in the Middle East, we have a C17 that’s bringing humanitarian supplies from Australia in the next day or so and we’d expect to join that humanitarian airlift should it be needed some time later in the week.”
Abbott said he had not spoken to the US president in recent days, but meetings during his previous trip to Washington had focused on the problems in Iraq and Syria.Abbott said he had not spoken to the US president in recent days, but meetings during his previous trip to Washington had focused on the problems in Iraq and Syria.
He said the group called Islamic State (Isis) was a “barbaric” entity capable of “hideous atrocities”.He said the group called Islamic State (Isis) was a “barbaric” entity capable of “hideous atrocities”.
“What we’ve got to appreciate … is that Islamic State as they’re now calling themselves – it’s not just a terrorist group, it’s a terrorist army,” Abbott said.“What we’ve got to appreciate … is that Islamic State as they’re now calling themselves – it’s not just a terrorist group, it’s a terrorist army,” Abbott said.
“They’re seeking not just a terrorist enclave but effectively a terrorist state, a terrorist nation, and this does pose extraordinary problems not just for the people of the Middle East but for the wider world.”“They’re seeking not just a terrorist enclave but effectively a terrorist state, a terrorist nation, and this does pose extraordinary problems not just for the people of the Middle East but for the wider world.”
Johnston said Australia was “very good at the art of doing humanitarian drops” having honed its skills during the operation in East Timor in the late 1990s.Johnston said Australia was “very good at the art of doing humanitarian drops” having honed its skills during the operation in East Timor in the late 1990s.
“The kinetic side of things is a US-led operation, but we’re going to man up and try and get these people some desperately needed water and food as best we can,” Johnston told the ABC on Monday.“The kinetic side of things is a US-led operation, but we’re going to man up and try and get these people some desperately needed water and food as best we can,” Johnston told the ABC on Monday.
“At this stage we’re not involved in the kinetics side of the operations, and I don’t believe that we have been requested to provide any such support. It would take us some time to get aircraft and other personnel into that theatre given that we’ve not had people in combat now for about eight or nine months coming out of Afghanistan.”“At this stage we’re not involved in the kinetics side of the operations, and I don’t believe that we have been requested to provide any such support. It would take us some time to get aircraft and other personnel into that theatre given that we’ve not had people in combat now for about eight or nine months coming out of Afghanistan.”
But asked about the possibility of Australia playing some military role in the defence of Irbil if requested, Johnston emphasised the need to be open to involvement to prevent atrocities.But asked about the possibility of Australia playing some military role in the defence of Irbil if requested, Johnston emphasised the need to be open to involvement to prevent atrocities.
“This Islamic State terrorist organisation is to be extremely feared and taken with great seriousness. We’ve seen atrocities, we’ve seen all manner of things,” Johnston said.“This Islamic State terrorist organisation is to be extremely feared and taken with great seriousness. We’ve seen atrocities, we’ve seen all manner of things,” Johnston said.
“Who knows what the future holds with these people and accordingly we are ready to assist in whatever way we can should we be asked to assist by the Americans and the Iraqi government. The fact is that this could turn very very nasty in a very short space of time and I think anything’s to be expected and I don’t believe right-minded countries can just sit back and watch atrocities unfold on their nightly television without taking some action.”“Who knows what the future holds with these people and accordingly we are ready to assist in whatever way we can should we be asked to assist by the Americans and the Iraqi government. The fact is that this could turn very very nasty in a very short space of time and I think anything’s to be expected and I don’t believe right-minded countries can just sit back and watch atrocities unfold on their nightly television without taking some action.”
Pressed on whether or not Australia was ruling out military involvement if it came to that, Johnston said: “We’re not ruling out providing some back-up assistance to the Americans as they go in and deal kinetically with this terrorist organisation.”Pressed on whether or not Australia was ruling out military involvement if it came to that, Johnston said: “We’re not ruling out providing some back-up assistance to the Americans as they go in and deal kinetically with this terrorist organisation.”
The opposition leader, Bill Shorten, said Labor was “100% supporting humanitarian relief to innocent civilians” but there had been no discussions about committing troops.
Johnston and the Australian foreign minister, Julie Bishop, are due to meet with the US secretary of state, John Kerry, and the US defense secretary, Chuck Hagel, at pre-planned Ausmin talks in Sydney on Tuesday.Johnston and the Australian foreign minister, Julie Bishop, are due to meet with the US secretary of state, John Kerry, and the US defense secretary, Chuck Hagel, at pre-planned Ausmin talks in Sydney on Tuesday.
Abbott, who arrived in the Netherlands overnight to thank the Dutch for leading the mission to recover bodies from the site of the downed flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine, is expected to travel to the London for security briefings from UK ministers and security agencies.Abbott, who arrived in the Netherlands overnight to thank the Dutch for leading the mission to recover bodies from the site of the downed flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine, is expected to travel to the London for security briefings from UK ministers and security agencies.
The prime minister left the door open to targeting uranium sales as part of a fresh round of sanctions against Russia. “Everything’s on the table,” Abbott said.The prime minister left the door open to targeting uranium sales as part of a fresh round of sanctions against Russia. “Everything’s on the table,” Abbott said.