Posted on 03/16/2004 11:50:30 AM PST by helives
Australia Says It Stands by the U.S.
Australia Says It Won't Back Away From U.S. Despite Fears It Could Be the Next Terror Target
The Associated Press
SYDNEY, Australia March 16 — Australia's foreign minister promised Tuesday that the government would not back away from its close alliance with the United States despite the terrorist bombing attacks on Spain, another member of the U.S.-led occupation force in Iraq.
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer urged Spain's new prime minister not to pull its 1,300 troops from Iraq, as he has promised to do unless the United Nations takes over peacekeeping by June 30.
"It is enormously important that the international community send a strong message to al-Qaida," Downer told reporters. "We will maintain our determination and our resolve to defeat terrorism, not to have our policies dictated by terrorists," he added.
The Madrid bombings last Thursday, which killed 201 people have been blamed on Islamic militants linked to al-Qaida, and raised worries that Australia could be next. Australia sent 2,000 troops to Iraq as part of the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein and still has 850 military personnel there, while President Bush has described Prime Minister John Howard as his "sheriff" in Asia.
Howard has ordered a review of the vulnerability of Australia's sprawling transport network from crowded Sydney trains and ferries to remote air strips and ports where security is virtually nonexistent.
John Pistole, the executive assistant director for counterterrorism with the FBI, acknowledged the risks Australia faces.
"Any country that allies itself with the United States, unfortunately, is a target," Pistole told Sydney's 2UE radio station. "I would agree with the statement that an attack is likely inevitable."
Howard's opponents see clear parallels between what happened in Spain last week and what could happen in Australia.
The new Spanish prime minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero won an upset victory in elections Sunday over the ruling Popular Party. Most Spaniards opposed former Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar's support of the Iraq war, and many believed he made Spain a target for terrorists by his pro-U.S. policies.
Australia has elections later this year. The opposition Labor Party, which currently leads Howard's government in opinion polls, was against the Iraq conflict and Howard's decision to join the U.S.-led invasion.
Howard and his conservative government acknowledge the terror menace, but deny that it is any worse since it sent 2,000 troops to the Iraq war last year. His alliance with the United States is unlikely to change.
He firmly believes that Australia's military alliance with Washington signed after the war remains key to his country's national security.
Australians have fought alongside American forces in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq. But now the threat of terror looms closer to home.
On Oct. 12, 2002, al-Qaida-linked Islamic extremists bombed two bars on the vacation island of Bal. Eighty-eight of the 202 people killed were Australian tourists.
After the Bali bombs, federal police and intelligence agents raided homes of Muslims across Australia in an attempt to gauge the strength here of Jemaah Islamiyah, the Southeast Asian group held responsible.
Authorities said they found no al-Qaida cells.
Howard downplayed the fears, but also conceded Australia is no longer immune from terror attacks.
"This is still by world standards a very safe country, but I'm very sad to report as prime minister that because of changed circumstances nobody can assume that this country is safe from attack," Howard told Sydney radio station 2GB on Tuesday.
I pray to God those lilly livered, head in the sand, Labor mongrels dont get a look in
Backing away from the terrorists will not bring safety or peace, that I believe absolutely!!
Doesn't sound very Texas like to me.
Sorry I missed that thread...I don't camp here every day for hours on end.
I couldn't care less what is banned in Australia, as long as Aussie soldiers are given guns in Iraq.
Doesn't sound very Texas like to me.
Yet despite this,the Australian citizenry remains one the most armed on earth.None of the other countries in the world who have gun control have shown such defiance to stupid laws.Gun control in Australia is an unenforcable pseudo-law,and everyone knows it besides a handful of internet-nra-advocates who have probably never handled a gun in their lives and sure as hell know ZIP about Australia besides what they read in newsbites.If they actually went to Australia and said the things they do on the net to any random Australian male,they'd wind up stripped of their masculinity in about 3 seconds.
If theres a shooting in Australia,they blame it on gun control,if theres a crime,they blame it on gun control,if someone defends themselves with a gun,they blame it on gun control,if 75% of guns are unregistered,they blame it on gun control.
BTW,it is only ONE state that is trying to restrict underage people from purchasing swords.Which will probably have as much impact as gun control has had on weapon ownership......none.
Australia,20 million people,'gun control',4 million guns.
"Any country that allies itself with the United States, unfortunately, is a target," Pistole told Sydney's 2UE radio station."
That's a given.
However in no way should it be used as a reason not to back America.
Should America have not supported Britain,Australia etc etc etc during WW2 because they would have been more of a target to the Germans,Japanese etc?
I have no doubt that if we here downunder were the recipients of 911 Bush would have been on the phone to Howard in 5 minutes flat asking which direction to aim!
The 'world' is in even bigger trouble than it is already if the likes of Kerry et al are elected.
God bless America and all those who sail with her.
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