[A-List] Australia: new outright sepoy status

["Michael Keaney" <michael.keaney@xxxxxx>]

Australia switches defence priorities

David Fickling in Sydney
Thursday February 27, 2003
The Guardian

Australia must dedicate itself to assisting in US-led wars around the world
rather than regional conflicts, a major shift in defence policy suggested
yesterday.

For the first time, the white paper on defence admitted that the risk of
another country invading Australia was negligible. But it said the problems
of terrorism and arms of mass destruction meant that Australia was still at
risk of attack, and envisaged a more mobile army ready to carry out
"coalition operations" in far-flung places.

The review also pledged that Australia would join the "son of star wars"
missile defence system proposed by the Bush administration, saying the issue
would be "an increasingly important priority" in coming years.

The defence minister, Robert Hill, told the Australian Broadcasting
Corporation: "As the world has changed ... it may be a necessary form of
security protection for countries other than the United States."

Australia has never been considered a serious target of ballistic missile
attack and has until now shown little interest in missile defence. But the
North Korean Taepo-dong II missile, whose existence was exposed before a US
senate committee this month, would be capable of carrying a radioactive
warhead to any Australian city.

The Labor party shadow defence minister, Chris Evans, described the paper as
an "insubstantial document" intended to cover up cuts to Australia's
standing army and increase dependence on the US.

"This document is all about selling the Howard government's commitment to
join the US in military actions across the globe, and nothing to do with a
proper long-term assessment about what is needed to ensure the defence of
the nation."

The Australian defence budget, which now stands at £5bn, would also move
towards more anti-terrorism and special forces operations.

Australian defence has traditionally hitched its fortunes to a protecting
superpower, a policy which led Canberra to contribute troops in the Vietnam
war.

The impression has been sharpened by John Howard, the conservative prime
minister, who has described himself as America's regional deputy and
announced his willingness to launch pre-emptive strikes against Australia's
south-east Asian neighbours.

Since the September 11 attacks, Canberra has become more closely aligned
with Washington. Mr Howard has been among the most enthusiastic cheerleaders
for a war on Iraq, with nearly 2,000 Australian troops already in the Gulf
in preparation for war.