Posted on 07/18/2005 8:29:01 PM PDT by Wiz
WASHINGTON, July 18, 2005 – Australia remains committed to "military operations that are part of the democratization process in both Afghanistan and Iraq," the country's prime minister said in the Pentagon today. "No two countries could be closer in terms of our common values and attitudes towards the challenges that the world faces at the present time," Prime Minister John Howard said during a joint press conference with U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
Australia has been a steadfast ally in the war on terror. The country has nearly 1,400 troops in Iraq, and Australian troops were with U.S. and British troops during the initial assault on Baghdad in 2003. Australian forces also moved in with U.S. special operations forces against the Taliban and al Qaeda in Afghanistan.
Australia announced July 13 that it would send an 150 more special operations troops to Afghanistan in preparation for scheduled Sept. 18 elections there. Howard today said today the Special Air Service troops are looking forward to working closely with U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
He also had positive comments on Iraq. "Although the insurgency remains challenging, progress is being made," he said.
The prime minister said it's important to keep in mind that Iraqis "defied the intimidation" and turned out in record numbers to vote in January elections. "It is inevitable that on every way station towards the full democratization process in Iraq, there is going to be a spike in the level of insurgency," Howard said.
Howard and Rumsfeld both spoke of the long history between the two countries and of the London terrorist bombings that killed 54 people earlier this month.
(Excerpt) Read more at defenselink.mil ...
ping
We're with you all the way. No worries!
Thank you all in Oz!
Yep you just hit my limit for Foster's. Anymore and my American Mates will have to carry me out of the pub.
Go Wallabies !!!!
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