02-21-2007, 03:48 PM
The Australian PM and Australian Foreign Minister don't seem to have the same idea of what the country is going to do about their troops stationed in Iraq. PM says they're not going to reduce Australian troops, but increase them by 70. FM says they'll reduce them when local Iraqi security increases.
Both news reports are dated the same day too.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/070221/2/12hp2.html
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Wednesday February 21, 08:16 PM
<b>Downer admits UK is getting out of Iraq</b>
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer Iraq has admitted Britain is withdrawing some troops from Iraq and says Australia will also downsize its presence once Iraqi security forces are built up.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has told US President George W Bush he will begin pulling Britain's 7,100 troops out of Iraq.
The first 1,500 troops reportedly are expected to leave Iraq in a matter of weeks.
Britain's move is a blow for the federal government, which this week committed Australia to sending a further 70 troops to Iraq and which argues the time is not right to pull out of the strife-torn nation.
Mr Downer initially refused to admit on Wednesday that Britain was withdrawing troops, insisting it was only a reduction of numbers.
He later told Southern Cross Broadcasting: "Well, they are withdrawing some."
The minister said his earlier intransigence was because "an intellectual child in the media" had asked him if he was claiming there was no difference between reduction and withdrawal.
"Reduction ... is to reduce the numbers, not to withdraw them all, to withdraw some but to leave behind, I'll tell you what they are leaving behind, they are leaving behind thousands of troops," Mr Downer said.
"They are reducing their numbers but they are not withdrawing from Iraq."
Mr Downer said Australia would withdraw from Iraq when Iraqi security forces were sufficiently built up and trained to maintain the democratic process and withstand terrorism.
He refused to say when.
"What sort of a fool would say to the terrorists, we'll go on the first of January, so you guys just have a bit of a rest, put your feet up, get a bit more equipment, wait till we have gone and then make whoopee."
<b>Mr Downer said reports were wrong when they speculated 1,500 British troops would be withdrawn but refused to reveal the number.</b>
"Because I am a diplomat and because I am polite, it is not my job to announce Tony Blair's figures before he announces them."
Mr Downer said he would not be saying in the federal election campaign that Australia would be pulling out of Iraq.
He said he did not want his political epitaph to say he stood for nothing, or that he chopped and changed his position just because the winds of politics kept changing.
"I'd rather it had on my political epitaph that I stood up and fought for my country in every possible way I could and I had done everything I could to secure this country."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
http://www.thewest.com.au/aapstory.aspx?...ame=358074
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>PM rules out reducing Iraq troop numbers</b>
21st February 2007, 13:49 WST
Prime Minister John Howard has ruled out following Britain's lead and reducing troop numbers in Iraq.
Government ministers have played down the significance of Britain's move to start pulling troops out of Iraq, stressing it's a reduction, not a withdrawal.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has told US President George W Bush he will begin pulling Britain's 7,100 troops out of Iraq - reportedly within weeks.
Although Mr Blair has yet to confirm details, news reports say he will announce the first contingent of 1,500 troops will leave Iraq in a matter of weeks, and a further 1,500 will follow by the end of the year.
Defence Minister Brendan Nelson says the decision is a sign that conditions have stabilised in southern Iraq and that Britain will still keep 5,000 troops in Basra.
Australia also has about 550 soldiers in southern Iraq, based at Tallil, and Mr Howard says there are no plans to reduce those numbers.
"You've got to maintain critical mass and to do the job, according to our defence advice, you need that," he told reporters in Perth.
"The reason I understand Mr Blair will give is that conditions have stabilised in Basra so that there can be this decision taken.
"They will still have 5,000 and we will 550.
"I don't think it follows from that that there should be a reduction in our 550," Mr Howard said.
Australia will send up to 70 more military trainers to Iraq within coming months, as the US also steps up its military forces in the country to try to stamp out the insurgency.
Mr Howard said the Americans were responsible for the most violent and disparate parts of Iraq, including Baghdad and Anbar province.
Mr Howard said he had known for some time of Britain's pullout plans, and said it made sense for the British to reduce their troop numbers while the Americans increased theirs.
"And anybody who studies Iraq for five minutes knows that patrolling Baghdad is infinitely more challenging than patrolling Basra," he said.
"That is the reason why the Americans are increasing their numbers and the reason, because of the relative improvement in Basra, the British are reducing their numbers."
Mr Howard said the 70 extra trainers would take Australia's troop numbers in southern Iraq to a little over 600 - about a 10th of what the British have.
In all, Australia currently has about 1,450 personnel in the Middle East, including about 900 inside Iraq.
Dr Nelson also said the British pullout was a sign of progress.
"Under no circumstances should anybody interpret the British having 5,000 troops in Basra, 10 times the Australian number, looking after the same number of provinces, as any kind of cut and run," he told reporters in Perth.
"In fact, what this is evidence of is the fact that in the south of Iraq we are making progress and the British are confident enough to reduce their troop numbers to around 5,000."
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer added: "The important point to make here is the British are not withdrawing from Iraq."
But Federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd said if it was good enough for Mr Blair to withdraw troops, Mr Howard should follow suit.
"If the British now have a withdrawal strategy from Iraq, the Australian people ask themselves a pretty basic question, 'Why doesn't Australia now have a withdrawal strategy from Iraq?'," he told reporters in Sydney.
"My challenge to Mr Howard is what is your policy for winning the war in Iraq and what is your exit strategy for Australian troops.
"We'd like to hear answers to that because so far we haven't got any."
Mr Rudd said Labor's policy on Iraq is simple.
"We believe our combat forces should come home and we should not be sending more troops to Iraq."
Mr Rudd also said he was disappointed Mr Howard did not support his proposal to assist training Iraqi security forces in Oman.
AAP<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
On a related matter:
http://au.news.yahoo.com/070221/2/12hwl.html
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Wednesday February 21, 07:58 PM
<b>Australia 'relies on UK support in Iraq'</b>
The impending withdrawal of British troops from southern Iraq has raised questions about just how the Australian task group will manage without crucial support services provided by Britain.
Australia's Overwatch Battlegroup West, based at Tallil in Dhi Qar province, has no helicopters of its own and relies on the British military for services such as aero-medical evacuation.
Neither does Australia possess a major medical facility in southern Iraq and relies on British facilities at Basra for treatment of casualties.
And, should the Australian Overwatch Battlegroup run into serious strife, it can call on the UK Force Reserve which comprises infantry, artillery and battle tanks.
In such an emergency, Royal Air Force Tornado bombers could provide close air support.
Australia also relies on the British for important services such as intelligence support.
Agreements underpinning the British support for Australian operations were negotiated ahead of the initial Australian deployment back in May 2005.
The Department of Defence said it was confident the Battlegroup would continue to receive the coalition support it required to conduct operations after the draw down of some British elements.
"The ADF (Australian Defence Force) is routinely involved in detailed discussions with the UK, the US and other coalition partners on support arrangements for our deployed personnel," it said in a statement.
"The Overwatch Battlegroup West provides a high level of protection for its personnel, including personal equipment, armoured vehicles and significant reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities.
"While robust and capable independently, the Overwatch Battlegroup West does rely on coalition partners, including the UK, for some enabling support."
Defence said support came from various coalition members and included offensive fire support including artillery and close air support, aero-medical evacuation, some logistic, medical and engineering support, some air movement of personnel plus other help as needed.
"ADF elements deployed in Southern Iraq are part of the Multi-National Division (South-East) which has UK, Australian, Romanian, Danish, Portuguese, Czech and Lithuanian troops and assets under its command," Defence said.
"The Overwatch Battlegroup West operates within this multinational environment and receives support from various coalition members."
Defence spokesman Brigadier Gus Gilmore said there were robust support mechanisms in place but no plan remained unchanged.
"As troops levels change, as contributing nations change, then we need to review how we conduct our operations and how we fulfil our commitments the government has tasked us to achieve," he told reporters.
"Of course, we would review how we conduct our operations but our task hasn't changed."
Australia has 520 troops in southern Iraq with a further 70 military trainers to deploy in May to help build up the capacity of Iraqi security forces.
As well, a fresh Battlegroup drawn from Darwin-based troops, is now training in preparation to rotate into southern Iraq.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair is expected to announce plans to withdraw Britain's 7,100 troops from southern Iraq in London on Wednesday night.
Media reports from Britain point to an initial withdrawal of a first contingent of 1,500 troops within weeks and another 1,500 by the end of the year.
Prime Minister John Howard has ruled out any matching withdrawal of Australian troops.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Both news reports are dated the same day too.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/070221/2/12hp2.html
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Wednesday February 21, 08:16 PM
<b>Downer admits UK is getting out of Iraq</b>
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer Iraq has admitted Britain is withdrawing some troops from Iraq and says Australia will also downsize its presence once Iraqi security forces are built up.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has told US President George W Bush he will begin pulling Britain's 7,100 troops out of Iraq.
The first 1,500 troops reportedly are expected to leave Iraq in a matter of weeks.
Britain's move is a blow for the federal government, which this week committed Australia to sending a further 70 troops to Iraq and which argues the time is not right to pull out of the strife-torn nation.
Mr Downer initially refused to admit on Wednesday that Britain was withdrawing troops, insisting it was only a reduction of numbers.
He later told Southern Cross Broadcasting: "Well, they are withdrawing some."
The minister said his earlier intransigence was because "an intellectual child in the media" had asked him if he was claiming there was no difference between reduction and withdrawal.
"Reduction ... is to reduce the numbers, not to withdraw them all, to withdraw some but to leave behind, I'll tell you what they are leaving behind, they are leaving behind thousands of troops," Mr Downer said.
"They are reducing their numbers but they are not withdrawing from Iraq."
Mr Downer said Australia would withdraw from Iraq when Iraqi security forces were sufficiently built up and trained to maintain the democratic process and withstand terrorism.
He refused to say when.
"What sort of a fool would say to the terrorists, we'll go on the first of January, so you guys just have a bit of a rest, put your feet up, get a bit more equipment, wait till we have gone and then make whoopee."
<b>Mr Downer said reports were wrong when they speculated 1,500 British troops would be withdrawn but refused to reveal the number.</b>
"Because I am a diplomat and because I am polite, it is not my job to announce Tony Blair's figures before he announces them."
Mr Downer said he would not be saying in the federal election campaign that Australia would be pulling out of Iraq.
He said he did not want his political epitaph to say he stood for nothing, or that he chopped and changed his position just because the winds of politics kept changing.
"I'd rather it had on my political epitaph that I stood up and fought for my country in every possible way I could and I had done everything I could to secure this country."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
http://www.thewest.com.au/aapstory.aspx?...ame=358074
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>PM rules out reducing Iraq troop numbers</b>
21st February 2007, 13:49 WST
Prime Minister John Howard has ruled out following Britain's lead and reducing troop numbers in Iraq.
Government ministers have played down the significance of Britain's move to start pulling troops out of Iraq, stressing it's a reduction, not a withdrawal.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has told US President George W Bush he will begin pulling Britain's 7,100 troops out of Iraq - reportedly within weeks.
Although Mr Blair has yet to confirm details, news reports say he will announce the first contingent of 1,500 troops will leave Iraq in a matter of weeks, and a further 1,500 will follow by the end of the year.
Defence Minister Brendan Nelson says the decision is a sign that conditions have stabilised in southern Iraq and that Britain will still keep 5,000 troops in Basra.
Australia also has about 550 soldiers in southern Iraq, based at Tallil, and Mr Howard says there are no plans to reduce those numbers.
"You've got to maintain critical mass and to do the job, according to our defence advice, you need that," he told reporters in Perth.
"The reason I understand Mr Blair will give is that conditions have stabilised in Basra so that there can be this decision taken.
"They will still have 5,000 and we will 550.
"I don't think it follows from that that there should be a reduction in our 550," Mr Howard said.
Australia will send up to 70 more military trainers to Iraq within coming months, as the US also steps up its military forces in the country to try to stamp out the insurgency.
Mr Howard said the Americans were responsible for the most violent and disparate parts of Iraq, including Baghdad and Anbar province.
Mr Howard said he had known for some time of Britain's pullout plans, and said it made sense for the British to reduce their troop numbers while the Americans increased theirs.
"And anybody who studies Iraq for five minutes knows that patrolling Baghdad is infinitely more challenging than patrolling Basra," he said.
"That is the reason why the Americans are increasing their numbers and the reason, because of the relative improvement in Basra, the British are reducing their numbers."
Mr Howard said the 70 extra trainers would take Australia's troop numbers in southern Iraq to a little over 600 - about a 10th of what the British have.
In all, Australia currently has about 1,450 personnel in the Middle East, including about 900 inside Iraq.
Dr Nelson also said the British pullout was a sign of progress.
"Under no circumstances should anybody interpret the British having 5,000 troops in Basra, 10 times the Australian number, looking after the same number of provinces, as any kind of cut and run," he told reporters in Perth.
"In fact, what this is evidence of is the fact that in the south of Iraq we are making progress and the British are confident enough to reduce their troop numbers to around 5,000."
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer added: "The important point to make here is the British are not withdrawing from Iraq."
But Federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd said if it was good enough for Mr Blair to withdraw troops, Mr Howard should follow suit.
"If the British now have a withdrawal strategy from Iraq, the Australian people ask themselves a pretty basic question, 'Why doesn't Australia now have a withdrawal strategy from Iraq?'," he told reporters in Sydney.
"My challenge to Mr Howard is what is your policy for winning the war in Iraq and what is your exit strategy for Australian troops.
"We'd like to hear answers to that because so far we haven't got any."
Mr Rudd said Labor's policy on Iraq is simple.
"We believe our combat forces should come home and we should not be sending more troops to Iraq."
Mr Rudd also said he was disappointed Mr Howard did not support his proposal to assist training Iraqi security forces in Oman.
AAP<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
On a related matter:
http://au.news.yahoo.com/070221/2/12hwl.html
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Wednesday February 21, 07:58 PM
<b>Australia 'relies on UK support in Iraq'</b>
The impending withdrawal of British troops from southern Iraq has raised questions about just how the Australian task group will manage without crucial support services provided by Britain.
Australia's Overwatch Battlegroup West, based at Tallil in Dhi Qar province, has no helicopters of its own and relies on the British military for services such as aero-medical evacuation.
Neither does Australia possess a major medical facility in southern Iraq and relies on British facilities at Basra for treatment of casualties.
And, should the Australian Overwatch Battlegroup run into serious strife, it can call on the UK Force Reserve which comprises infantry, artillery and battle tanks.
In such an emergency, Royal Air Force Tornado bombers could provide close air support.
Australia also relies on the British for important services such as intelligence support.
Agreements underpinning the British support for Australian operations were negotiated ahead of the initial Australian deployment back in May 2005.
The Department of Defence said it was confident the Battlegroup would continue to receive the coalition support it required to conduct operations after the draw down of some British elements.
"The ADF (Australian Defence Force) is routinely involved in detailed discussions with the UK, the US and other coalition partners on support arrangements for our deployed personnel," it said in a statement.
"The Overwatch Battlegroup West provides a high level of protection for its personnel, including personal equipment, armoured vehicles and significant reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities.
"While robust and capable independently, the Overwatch Battlegroup West does rely on coalition partners, including the UK, for some enabling support."
Defence said support came from various coalition members and included offensive fire support including artillery and close air support, aero-medical evacuation, some logistic, medical and engineering support, some air movement of personnel plus other help as needed.
"ADF elements deployed in Southern Iraq are part of the Multi-National Division (South-East) which has UK, Australian, Romanian, Danish, Portuguese, Czech and Lithuanian troops and assets under its command," Defence said.
"The Overwatch Battlegroup West operates within this multinational environment and receives support from various coalition members."
Defence spokesman Brigadier Gus Gilmore said there were robust support mechanisms in place but no plan remained unchanged.
"As troops levels change, as contributing nations change, then we need to review how we conduct our operations and how we fulfil our commitments the government has tasked us to achieve," he told reporters.
"Of course, we would review how we conduct our operations but our task hasn't changed."
Australia has 520 troops in southern Iraq with a further 70 military trainers to deploy in May to help build up the capacity of Iraqi security forces.
As well, a fresh Battlegroup drawn from Darwin-based troops, is now training in preparation to rotate into southern Iraq.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair is expected to announce plans to withdraw Britain's 7,100 troops from southern Iraq in London on Wednesday night.
Media reports from Britain point to an initial withdrawal of a first contingent of 1,500 troops within weeks and another 1,500 by the end of the year.
Prime Minister John Howard has ruled out any matching withdrawal of Australian troops.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->