Posted on 03/21/2008 1:48:50 PM PDT by naturalman1975
LAST night, Australian forces were involved in dangerous covert reconnaissance deep inside Iraq providing vital support to bombing raids in a prelude to a massive invasion.
Special forces troops were dropped deep behind enemy lines in northern and southern Iraq in an effort to identify Saddam's weapons of mass destruction sites and targets for coalition bombers such as missile launchers.
Operating in small bands, members of the Special Air Service Regiment's 150-man squadron are airlifted by helicopter deep into Iraq, where they can operate independently for weeks at a time if required.
RAAF F/A-18 fighters based in Kuwait were providing escorts for US early-warning and refuelling aircraft.
And Royal Australian Navy ships, including HMAS Anzac and Darwin, were continuing to enforce the UN blockade in the Persian Gulf, ensuring Iraq was not able to smuggle weapons or other banned goods in or out of the country.
John Howard announced late yesterday that soon after the deadline for Saddam Hussein expired and cruise missiles were fired at Baghdad that Australia's 2000 troops "have started combat or combat-support operations".
Australia's contingent in the Gulf includes the SAS, F/A-18s and support crews, 150 commandos, 950 sailors aboard Anzac, Darwin, and sea-transport ship Kanimbla, two P-3C Orions and three C-130 Hercules transport aircraft.
The Prime Minister refused for security reasons to detail the role or whereabouts of Australia's 150 SAS troops other than to confirm they were in action.
"The F/A-18 Hornets have started operations over Iraq," he said at a special news conference. "They're conducting missions to escort high-value coalition tanker and airborne early-warning and control aircraft."
Mr Howard said RAN ships were continuing to "interdict" shipping in the Gulf.
(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.news.com.au ...
Good to see the Aussies getting some recognition. The Diggers have commitments to stability operations in the Pacific AO that cuts into their ability to provide Coalition Force troops.
The troops they do send tend to punch well above their weight and are among the best soldiers any nation has ever produced.
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