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Abbott and Obama agree to extend Australia's defence cooperation with US Abbott and Obama agree to extend Australia's defence cooperation with US
(about 1 hour later)
Tony Tony Abbott has agreed to expand Australia’s defence cooperation with the United States at a meeting with Barack Obama and later left open the possibility of Australian assistance in combating the escalating civil war in Iraq.
Abbott has agreed to expand Australia’s defence cooperation with the 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 insurgency and that he had not “ruled out” any options.
United States at a meeting with Barack Obama that was overshadowed "I 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 Syria for that matter," Obama said.
by the escalating civil war in Iraq. He said the US was prepared to take military action whenever its national 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 share our values, but we know we can count on them because they've got real capacity.”
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
insurgency and that he had not “ruled out” any options.
"I
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
Syria for that matter," Obama said.
He
said the US was prepared to take military action whenever its national
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
share our values, but we know we can count on them because they've got
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 A White House spokesman ruled out a redeployment of US ground troops, but other officials reportedly said the use of drones and airstrikes had not been ruled out.
other officials reportedly said the use of drones and airstrikes had Asked by the ABC whether Australia could offer any assistance in the fight against insurgents in Iraq, Abbott said: “I think it’s very early days to be talking about that but this is a very serious situation and no one should take it lightly and the last thing anyone should want is to see is a large swath of Iraq under the control of al-Qaida-type operatives.”
not been dismissed. And the president revealed he and Abbott had entered “additional 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.
The president also revealed he and Abbott had entered “additional “In addition to the marines that are now in Darwin and the rotations that have been established, we actually have arrived at additional agreements around force postures that will enhance the bilateral cooperation between our militaries and give us additional reach throughout this very important part of the world. And we’re grateful for the cooperation there,” Obama said.
agreements” about the US force deployment in the Northern Territory, in About 1,150 marines are now deployed at the “marine air ground task force” with a full contingent of 2,500 scheduled to be deployed by 2016-17.
addition to the agreement he struck with the former prime minister Julia It is understood the expanded agreement could include more US ships coming to Western Australia and joint exercises involving Australian, US and Asian countries' military forces.
Gillard in 2011. Abbott said later he and the president had “concluded negotiations over a force posture agreement this is basically about the sorts of logistical arrangements that will apply to US troops who are rotating through Darwin … and this gives us the opportunity not just for Australia and US forces to train together … but for our regional partners to train together with us”, referring to planned exercises later this year with both US and Chinese troops.
“In
addition to the marines that are now in Darwin and the rotations that
have been established, we actually have arrived at additional agreements
around force postures that will enhance the bilateral cooperation
between our militaries and give us additional reach throughout this very
important part of the world. And we’re grateful for the cooperation
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.
It
is understood the expanded agreement could include more US ships coming
to Western Australia and joint exercises involving Australian, US and
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 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 maintain global order and security,” he said.
should note that Australia, under the prime minister’s leadership, is
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
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 most effective assistance to them [the Iraqi government],” Obama said.
team is working around the clock to identify how we can provide the “... In 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.”
most effective assistance to them [the Iraqi government],” Obama said. Abbott assured the president “that Australia will be an utterly dependable 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 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”.
“... In And in remarks at a subsequent meeting with the US secretary of state John 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, nevertheless, security challenges. And there is the importance of ensuring that we are all good international citizens.”
our consultations with the Iraqis, there will be some short-term, Some observers, including the former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Fraser have argued Australia should close the US base in Darwin and become strategically independent, saying the deepening military alliance with the US could pose a threat rather than a protection, by drawing Australia into regional conflict.
immediate things that need to be done militarily ... this should be also a The 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.
wake-up call for the Iraqi government.” 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.
Abbott 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 Brisbane in November.
assured the president “Australia will be an utterly dependable Asked by the ABC about discussions with the president on climate change Abbott said: “I don’t think people should run around pretending there is a disagreement when none exists” saying both he and Obama “take climate change very seriously” and “we have strong and effective policies coming in to place to deal with it”.
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
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”.
In remarks at a subsequent meeting with the US secretary of state, John
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,
nevertheless, security challenges. And there is the importance of
ensuring that we are all good international citizens.”
Some
observers, including the former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Fraser, have
argued Australia should close the US base in Darwin and become
strategically independent, saying the deepening military alliance with
the US could pose a threat rather than a protection, by
drawing Australia into regional conflict.
The
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
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.
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
Brisbane in November.