By Max Bartels
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania
Canberra, Australia
In response to a formal request from the United States for specific Australian Defense Force (ADF) capabilities, Australia has committed to send 600 ADF personnel to the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E) to contribute to the U.S airstrikes agent Islamic State militants (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria. 400 of the 600 ADF personnel come from the Royal Australian Air force including up to eight F/A 18 Hornet combat aircraft as well as 200 military personnel, including Special Forces.
The Prime Minister of Australia, Tony Abbott was careful to state that Australia is not deploying troops for combat but instead contributing to an international effort to prevent a humanitarian crisis. Tony Abbott also said that Australia is prepared to engage in international operations to disrupt and degrade ISIS, calling ISIS a “murderous death cult”. Abbott further stated that Obama gave him the impression that these operations would be a lengthy mission.
(Photo curtesy of The Guardian)
There is a great deal of opposition to this deployment in Australia, namely form the Green Party. The Green party leader has said that this deployment is subjecting young Australian to the dangers of an American war in Iraq and that Australia should not be involved. Others in Australia are worried that the deployment has the potential to over extend the ADF. Former ADF officer Dr. Blaxland from the Australian National University stated that a 600 troop deployment requires an 1,800 troop rotation and while that doesn’t sound like that many it raises questions about the ADF’s ability to raise, train and sustain this number of forces abroad for an indefinite amount of time.
Prime Minister Abbott stated that a final decision of whether to commit to combat operations has yet to be made. In that wake of yet another beheading by ISIS there is significant public support in Australia for involvement in the conflict. Abbott linked the ISIS threat in Iraq and Syria to the domestic threat in Australia, stating that an estimated 60 Australian citizens had gone abroad to Syria and Iraq to fight for ISIS. Abbott made it clear in his statements about the decision to deploy troops, that if left unchecked ISIS would continue to destabilize the Middle East and possibly spread beyond the Middle East to areas where a greater threat will be posed to Australians.
For more information, please see:
NBC News — Australia Commits Military Forces to Fight ISIS — 13 September 2014
