ID :
9342
Wed, 06/04/2008 - 12:17
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/9342
The shortlink copeid
Iraq has come long way, commander says
Southern Iraq remains a challenging and dangerous environment but has come a long way in the past three years, Australia's commanding officer in the region says.
Australia officially ended its combat role in southern Iraq this week with the 550-member battlegroup preparing to return home.
Lieutenant Colonel Chris Websdane, commanding officer of the Australian Overwatch Battlegroup, believes Australian troops have reason to be proud for their part inthe rehabilitation of southern Iraq since 2005.
"We've come a long way in three years ... we've assisted in this transition process from coalition-controlled to Iraqi-controlled," he told AAP.
"We can sense real change, we feel pride in our contribution effort to the coalition effort and we're satisfied that we've reached this point where we've done our job here and it's time to go home."While he acknowledges there are still problems, the time is right for Australian combat forces to leave.
"There are still challenges ahead because Iraq is a complex, dangerous environment with a lot of internal and external influences," Lt Col Websdane said.
"Iraqis will continue to need assistance to govern themselves and to provide for their own security.
"(But) our bit in that is finished now and obviously there are still coalition forces remaining and they will watch out for that."Although Labor opposed the former Howard government's decision to go to war, Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon said Australia still had an obligation to stay and help clean up the country.
But he was loathe to say whether Iraq and its people were better or worse off following the 2003 United States-led invasion.
"Certainly it remains a dangerous place. Certainly the economy is still in the balance and certainly people continue to suffer there," Mr Fitzgibbon told ABC Radio.
The US reacted strongly to claims by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd that Australia had gone to war on the back of "abused" intelligence.
"We acted on the intelligence that we had, and that the entire world had," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters.
"No one else in the world, no other government, had different information and so we acted based on what was the threat that was presented to us. When the intelligence community presents you with their concerns, you'd better take them seriously."Mr Fitzgibbon refused to be drawn on suggestions that former prime minister John Howard had struck a deal allowing Australian troops to operate only in safe regions.
"Our Australian troops have been in a relatively safe area in the southern provinces, but I stress relatively safe," he said, adding that some personnel had been badly injured in roadside bomb attacks.
Lt Col Websdane said his soldiers had been doing the same sort of tasks that they might anywhere in the battle zone.
"I know there's been some discussion ... about the role of the infantry," he said. "I can tell you ... my cavalrymen and my infantrymen have been doing traditional offensive combat patrolling as one part of a complex mission ... (these are) just astandard tasks we would conduct as cavalrymen and infantrymen." - AAP.
Australia officially ended its combat role in southern Iraq this week with the 550-member battlegroup preparing to return home.
Lieutenant Colonel Chris Websdane, commanding officer of the Australian Overwatch Battlegroup, believes Australian troops have reason to be proud for their part inthe rehabilitation of southern Iraq since 2005.
"We've come a long way in three years ... we've assisted in this transition process from coalition-controlled to Iraqi-controlled," he told AAP.
"We can sense real change, we feel pride in our contribution effort to the coalition effort and we're satisfied that we've reached this point where we've done our job here and it's time to go home."While he acknowledges there are still problems, the time is right for Australian combat forces to leave.
"There are still challenges ahead because Iraq is a complex, dangerous environment with a lot of internal and external influences," Lt Col Websdane said.
"Iraqis will continue to need assistance to govern themselves and to provide for their own security.
"(But) our bit in that is finished now and obviously there are still coalition forces remaining and they will watch out for that."Although Labor opposed the former Howard government's decision to go to war, Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon said Australia still had an obligation to stay and help clean up the country.
But he was loathe to say whether Iraq and its people were better or worse off following the 2003 United States-led invasion.
"Certainly it remains a dangerous place. Certainly the economy is still in the balance and certainly people continue to suffer there," Mr Fitzgibbon told ABC Radio.
The US reacted strongly to claims by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd that Australia had gone to war on the back of "abused" intelligence.
"We acted on the intelligence that we had, and that the entire world had," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters.
"No one else in the world, no other government, had different information and so we acted based on what was the threat that was presented to us. When the intelligence community presents you with their concerns, you'd better take them seriously."Mr Fitzgibbon refused to be drawn on suggestions that former prime minister John Howard had struck a deal allowing Australian troops to operate only in safe regions.
"Our Australian troops have been in a relatively safe area in the southern provinces, but I stress relatively safe," he said, adding that some personnel had been badly injured in roadside bomb attacks.
Lt Col Websdane said his soldiers had been doing the same sort of tasks that they might anywhere in the battle zone.
"I know there's been some discussion ... about the role of the infantry," he said. "I can tell you ... my cavalrymen and my infantrymen have been doing traditional offensive combat patrolling as one part of a complex mission ... (these are) just astandard tasks we would conduct as cavalrymen and infantrymen." - AAP.
