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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jun/13/abbott-and-obama-agree-to-extend-australias-defence-cooperation-with-us
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Abbott and Obama agree to extend Australia's defence cooperation with US | Abbott and Obama agree to extend Australia's defence cooperation with US |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Tony | Tony |
| Abbott has agreed to expand Australia’s defence cooperation with the | Abbott has agreed to expand Australia’s defence cooperation with the |
| United States at a meeting with Barack Obama that was overshadowed | |
| by the escalating civil war in Iraq. | by the escalating civil war in Iraq. |
| Obama | Obama |
| used brief remarks to the media after the meeting in the White House to | |
| say the Iraqi government needed “more help” to fight the Islamic | say the Iraqi government needed “more help” to fight the Islamic |
| insurgency and that he had not “ruled out” any options. | insurgency and that he had not “ruled out” any options. |
| "I | "I |
| don't rule out anything because we do have a stake in making sure that | don't rule out anything because we do have a stake in making sure that |
| these jihadists are not getting a permanent foothold in either Iraq or | these jihadists are not getting a permanent foothold in either Iraq or |
| Syria for that matter," Obama said. | Syria for that matter," Obama said. |
| He | He |
| said the US was prepared to take military action whenever its national | said the US was prepared to take military action whenever its national |
| security was threatened and Australia was one of the handful countries | security was threatened and Australia was one of the handful countries |
| in the world “that we always know we can count on, not just because they | in the world “that we always know we can count on, not just because they |
| share our values, but we know we can count on them because they've got | share our values, but we know we can count on them because they've got |
| real capacity.” | real capacity.” |
| "Aussies know how to fight. I like to have them in a foxhole when we are in trouble." | "Aussies know how to fight. I like to have them in a foxhole when we are in trouble." |
| A White House spokesman ruled out a redeployment of US ground troops, but | |
| other officials reportedly said the use of drones and airstrikes had | other officials reportedly said the use of drones and airstrikes had |
| not been dismissed. | |
| The president also revealed he and Abbott had entered “additional | The president also revealed he and Abbott had entered “additional |
| agreements” about the US force deployment in the Northern Territory, in | agreements” about the US force deployment in the Northern Territory, in |
| addition to the agreement he struck with the former prime minister Julia | |
| Gillard in 2011. | Gillard in 2011. |
| “In | “In |
| addition to the marines that are now in Darwin and the rotations that | addition to the marines that are now in Darwin and the rotations that |
| have been established, we actually have arrived at additional agreements | have been established, we actually have arrived at additional agreements |
| around force postures that will enhance the bilateral cooperation | around force postures that will enhance the bilateral cooperation |
| between our militaries and give us additional reach throughout this very | between our militaries and give us additional reach throughout this very |
| important part of the world. And we’re grateful for the cooperation | important part of the world. And we’re grateful for the cooperation |
| there,” Obama said. | there,” Obama said. |
| About | |
| 1,150 marines are deployed at the “marine air ground task force” | |
| with a full contingent of 2,500 scheduled to be deployed by 2016-17. | with a full contingent of 2,500 scheduled to be deployed by 2016-17. |
| It | It |
| is understood the expanded agreement could include more US ships coming | is understood the expanded agreement could include more US ships coming |
| to Western Australia and joint exercises involving Australian, US and | to Western Australia and joint exercises involving Australian, US and |
| Asian countries' military forces. | Asian countries' military forces. |
| Obama praised Australia for increasing its spending on defence. | Obama praised Australia for increasing its spending on defence. |
| “I | “I |
| should note that Australia, under the prime minister’s leadership, is | should note that Australia, under the prime minister’s leadership, is |
| increasing its defence budget, even under tough times, recognising that | increasing its defence budget, even under tough times, recognising that |
| we all have to make sure that we’re doing our fair share to help | we all have to make sure that we’re doing our fair share to help |
| maintain global order and security,” he said. | maintain global order and security,” he said. |
| But the brief opportunity to question the leaders after the meeting was dominated by the worsening situation in Iraq. | But the brief opportunity to question the leaders after the meeting was dominated by the worsening situation in Iraq. |
| “My | “My |
| team is working around the clock to identify how we can provide the | team is working around the clock to identify how we can provide the |
| most effective assistance to them [the Iraqi government],” Obama said. | |
| “... In | |
| our consultations with the Iraqis, there will be some short-term, | our consultations with the Iraqis, there will be some short-term, |
| immediate things that need to be done militarily ... this should be also a | |
| wake-up call for the Iraqi government.” | wake-up call for the Iraqi government.” |
| Abbott | Abbott |
| assured the president “Australia will be an utterly dependable | |
| ally of the United States. The United States has had to bear many | ally of the United States. The United States has had to bear many |
| burdens, many burdens. The United States has paid a very high price to | burdens, many burdens. The United States has paid a very high price to |
| secure freedom and prosperity for many countries – not just itself – and | secure freedom and prosperity for many countries – not just itself – and |
| the United States should never have to do all that work on its own”. | the United States should never have to do all that work on its own”. |
| In remarks at a subsequent meeting with the US secretary of state, John | |
| Kerry, Abbott said he was “particularly grateful for America’s | Kerry, Abbott said he was “particularly grateful for America’s |
| continuing, deep, and strong involvement in south-east | |
| Asia, because while there is so much that is good in our region, there are, | Asia, because while there is so much that is good in our region, there are, |
| nevertheless, security challenges. And there is the importance of | nevertheless, security challenges. And there is the importance of |
| ensuring that we are all good international citizens.” | ensuring that we are all good international citizens.” |
| Some | Some |
| observers, including the former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Fraser, have | |
| argued Australia should close the US base in Darwin and become | argued Australia should close the US base in Darwin and become |
| strategically independent, saying the deepening military alliance with | strategically independent, saying the deepening military alliance with |
| the US could pose a threat rather than a protection, by | |
| drawing Australia into regional conflict. | drawing Australia into regional conflict. |
| The | The |
| White House meeting, which went for over an hour, was also attended by | White House meeting, which went for over an hour, was also attended by |
| Kerry, the US Treasury secretary, Jack Lew, and the vice-president, Joe Biden. | |
| It | It |
| did not end with a media conference, but with brief remarks and just a | |
| few questions, during which the issue of climate change was not raised. | few questions, during which the issue of climate change was not raised. |
| It | It |
| is understood to have been raised during the talks, with the leaders noting that they had “different approaches” on the issue and that | |
| “energy efficiency” would be discussed at the G20 leaders’ meeting in | “energy efficiency” would be discussed at the G20 leaders’ meeting in |
| Brisbane in November. | Brisbane in November. |