Abbott: Won’t Put Time Limit on Iraq

Local Editor

Australia will send a military force of 600 troops to a US military base in the United Arab Emirates to contribute to the US campaign of airstrikes in Iraq, with Australian Prime Minister saying the deployment could last "many, many months."

In response to a formal request from the US for specific Australian defence force [ADF] capabilities, Abbott said his country would supply 600 personnel - made up of 400 from the air force and 200 from the military, including special forces - along with equipment to the coalition force against the so-called "Daesh" [ISIL] extremist group.

Asked if Australia had an exit strategy for the deployment of the 600 military personnel, Abbott told the Nine Network he wouldn't put a time limit on it, but it would be months rather than weeks, and quite possibly "many, many months."

A conversation with US President Barack Obama gave him the understanding that the president is prepared for a "lengthy" mission.
"Our armed forces are all volunteers. They understand the risk that they run if deployed to combat zones, and we will do our best to ensure that all precautions are taken," he said.

Meanwhile, Greens leader Christine Milne described it as "mission creep," saying that, "This is an open ended commitment of young Australian lives to a United States war in Iraq. It's hard to see how that could possibly end well for the people in Iraq or in Australia."

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team