Why not build the USA bases next to white australians homes ??
Then let them try attacking S E Asians
US close to decision on joint bases
By Mark Baker
Asia Editor
Singapore
June 7, 2004
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The United States is close to a decision to spend tens of millions of
dollars establishing permanent joint training facilities in northern
Australia for its military forces.
Defence Minister Robert Hill yesterday said he expected an in-
principle decision next month on a plan that could see thousands of
American soldiers, marines and air force personnel training at
upgraded Australian bases.
The move would involve US forces bringing state-of-the-art computer
systems that would also vastly enhance the training capabilities of
Australia's armed services.
Senator Hill said he was optimistic that a decision to proceed with
the joint facilities would be made at next month's annual defence
ministers' talks in Washington. But he said the final choice of which
base or bases would be chosen for upgrading was likely to follow
further detailed studies by the US.
American military teams that have inspected military facilities across
Australia are believed to be favouring several bases in the Northern
Territory and far north Queensland.
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The plan is part of a global review of the deployment of US forces,
which aims to reduce the number of personnel based in set locations
and develop more mobile and flexible capabilities.
Senator Hill said the plan was being backed by the commander of US
forces in the Pacific, Admiral Thomas Fargo. "They are taking it very
seriously," he said.
He said the plan would enable Australia to expand its support for a
key ally while giving Australian forces access to advanced training
technologies and computer systems. "The starting point is the
enhancement of the capability of one or more of our training
facilities. It's an opportunity to utilise the most sophisticated
training assets that exist in the United States," he said.
The Americans are believed to be keen to use the space available at
bases in northern Australia for complex "rapid deployment" training
between air and ground forces and for amphibious operations.
Senator Hill said the joint facilities would be an extension of the
support Australia already provided in military joint exercises and in
allowing the US Navy to rotate ships crews through Australia. "It's
just another aspect of a long and deep and important
relationship . . . It's to enhance mutual capability, ensure
interoperability and to assist a critically important ally," he said.
US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who met Senator Hill at a
regional security conference in Singapore at the weekend, said the US
was streamlining the deployment of its forces around the world.
"We don't want to be in a static defence mode. We want to be in a more
agile arrangement," he said.
"Some of our forces are where they were left over from the Cold War
and where it was reasonably easy to know where a threat might come
from. Today a threat can come from any number of directions, so we
need to have the flexibility and agility to deal with that."
Australia is involved in the reciprocal exchange of military personnel
with forces in the US, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and, to a lesser
extent, several Asian and Pacific island countries.
The Pine Gap communications complex near Alice Springs is the only
military facility jointly operated by Australia and the US on
Australian soil. There are no longer any US bases in Australia.
Labor defence spokesman Chris Evans said the Opposition supported
joint training facilities with the US in Australia. However, Labor was
against US soldiers being permanently based on Australian soil.
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