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Australia shapes up for war
CANBERRA, Australia (Reuters) -- Australia has unveiled a blueprint to give its defence force more flexibility to join U.S.-led operations in the war on terror and to stop the spread of weapons of mass destruction. Defence Minister Robert Hill said the upgraded defence strategy highlighted the need to expand Australia's special forces for niche operations abroad in coalition with allies. The plan was drawn up in the wake of the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States and last October's Bali bombings, which killed about 200 people, including up to 90 Australians. "We believe recent terrorist attacks are more than a transitory phenomenon and likely to last for years," Hill said at the launch of the long-awaited review. "The new strategic environment requires a more flexible and mobile force with sufficient levels of readiness and sustainability to meet the challenges of these uncertain times." But Hill said the conservative government had yet to decide exactly how to modify the defence force, and whether to delay or abandon certain capabilities. But he stressed there were no plans to alter the size, structure or role of the 51,000-person force. Hill said global terrorism and the spread of weapons of mass destruction had taken on a new prominence since Australia, a staunch U.S. ally, last reviewed its defence policy in late 2000. He said the threat of a direct military attack on Australia was judged to have diminished since 2000, largely due to the United States boosting global security, making it less likely that the defence force would be called upon to defend home soil. New threatsBut Australia had to be better prepared for overseas coalitions, likely led by Australia's top security partner the United States. Australia was among the first to join the U.S.-led attack on Afghanistan to hunt down al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and his Taliban protectors after the September 11 attacks. Canberra has already sent 2,000 troops, as well as jet fighters and warships to join U.S. and British troops in the Gulf preparing for a possible war on Iraq despite public protests. Hill said in the longer term the government's decisions on the Joint Strike Fighter programme and the Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft would boost Australia's ability to work more closely with the United States and other partners. However Hill said the remote island continent also needed to retain its self-reliance to cope with threats from its own backyard, as economic, political and social instability left its neighbours exposed to security threats as seen in Bali. The review provided no cost details ahead of the government's 2003/04 budget due on May 13, with annual defence spending in Australia usually around 1.9 percent of gross domestic product, but analysts did not expect any major changes. "With defence, where the money is spent really determines your priorities," defence policy analyst Aldo Borgu from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute told Reuters. "We're not expecting any major changes in capability priorities. Defence only really has a small role to play in fighting terrorism with civilian agencies more involved." Copyright 2003 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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