Posted on 12/03/2003 7:58:30 PM PST by knak
CANBERRA, Australia Dec. 3 — Australia has agreed to participate in a U.S. program to build a defensive missile shield, the government announced Thursday.
"We believe that taking part in the U.S. program will serve our strategic interest, help us defend Australia and allow us to make an important contribution to global and regional security," Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said in a statement.
Washington hopes to develop a shield against ballistic missiles, arguing that "rogue states" like North Korea could soon have missiles to threaten the United States. It wants allies such as Britain and Australia involved in the project, particularly for the use of satellite tracking stations in their countries.
Critics says the technology for such shields dubbed "Son of Star Wars" is complex, unreliable and expensive, but worse, the plans could spark a new arms race.
Australia has been one of Washington's staunchest allies over the past several years, pledging troops to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and stating clearly that its relationship with the United States is central to nation's long term interest.
Downer said the nature of Australia's participation "will depend on many factors including our own strategic defense needs, regional considerations, industry capabilities and financial considerations."
Defense Minister Robert Hill said Canberra will likely help in research for the multibillion dollar project and has no plans for a ground-based missile defense system on Australian soil.
It may incorporate a missile defense system into three planned air warfare destroyers for the Australian navy.
"We have given that careful consideration and we think that we can play a part, obviously a small part in terms of the massive overall program," Hill told reporters. "We think that with the proliferation of long-range missiles and trends towards proliferation of mass destruction warheads, it is a sensible decision for Australia to take."
Their media might be even more biased and sillier than ours.
Someone might not want to nuke Sydney, but if someone nukes Japan-or anyone else in Asia-Australia is definately going to feel it.
Since when?Last i checked we were an island continent,sharing no borders,and California is closer to NK than Australia is.If you mean due to proximity,then Hawaii is part of Asia too:P.And btw,i dont think it's safe to say no one would like to see Sydney nuked,Australia isnt so far behind the US when it comes to hostility from most of the world.
Maybe 20,000,000 years ago I am guessing.
It all depends on how one talks of "Asia". If "Asia" means only "East Asia" or rather "North East Asia" then no they are not in there.
If Asia is meant as most mean it, yes they are. As is Hawaii. The "Asia Pacific" or "Pacific Rim" could be debated on semantics also.
Australia is just across the way from South East Asia. Continental Australia is about 400 miles from Timor.
But hey, depending on the definition Indonesia might not be in "Asia" either.
They are all neighbors. What the hey...
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