APSNet Semi-Weekly Bulletin, October 4, 2007

Recommended Citation

"APSNet Semi-Weekly Bulletin, October 4, 2007", APSNet Semi-Weekly Bulletin, October 04, 2007, https://nautilus.org/apsnet/apsnet-for-20071004/

APSNet for 20071004

Austral Peace and Security Network (APSNet)

Twice weekly report from the Nautilus Institute at RMIT, Australia.

Thursday 4 October 2007

  1. More Diggers to Fight Taliban
  2. UK: Brown to Pave Way for Further Cutback of Troops in Iraq
  3. Fiji’s Military Worried by Increasing Risk of Arms Smuggling
  4. Solomons Threat to Peace Effort: Downer
  5. $927m for New Military Satellite
  6. US Alliance Will Change
  7. US Garners Support for Strike on Iran
  8. Climate Change Becomes Urgent Security Issue in Australia

  1. More Diggers to Fight Taliban, Dennis Shanahan, Australian, 2007-10-04

    Australia is preparing to send hundreds more troops to Afghanistan’s southern Oruzgan province. In addition to an increase in troops to replace the Dutch soldiers, a mortar team has just been dispatched, 110 crew and support staff for two Chinook helicopters are preparing to go and there are plans for increased RAAF surveillance over southern Afghanistan.

  2. Brown to Pave Way for Further Cutback of Troops in Iraq, Richard Norton-Taylor, Guardian, 2007-10-03

    The number of British troops in Iraq is expected to be cut early next year by significantly more than the 1,000 announced under plans Gordon Brown will outline to MPs next week. On his first visit to Iraq as prime minister, Mr Brown said that by Christmas, the number of soldiers there would be reduced to 4,500. The move was described by defence officials as “the most conservative of options before the prime minister”.

  3. Fiji’s Military Worried by Increasing Risk of Arms Smuggling, RNZI, 2007-10-03

    Fiji’s military has expressed concern about the increased risk of dangerous weapons and drugs being smuggled into the country following the withdrawal of its Port Security Unit. The Fiji Sun reports that the military was forced to withdraw the 180-strong unit made up of territorial force soldiers because of a lack of funds.

  4. Solomons Threat to Peace Effort: Downer, Anne Davies and Craig Skehan, SMH, 2007-10-04

    Australia’s UN ambassador, Robert Hill, has told the UN General Assembly that he strongly rejected claims by the Solomon Islands that Australia was an occupying force. The Solomons Foreign Minister, Patterson Oti, told the UN Assembly his Government would seek to change the rules under which the Australian-led peacekeepers were operating, describing it as a “continued occupation”. Mr Oti called on the UN to take a greater role.

  5. $927m for New Military Satellite, Patrick Walters, Australian, 2007-10-04

    Australia will spend $927 million to join the US military satellite communications program. Defence will fund one of six satellites designed to provide secure wide-band military communications to US and Australian forces. Brendan Nelson also said Australia would acquire its own UHF satellite around 2009. Four of the six satellites will be focused in Australia’s area of broad strategic interest, including the Indian and Pacific oceans.

  6. US Alliance Will Change, Owen Harries and Tom Switzer, Australian, 2007-10-04

    Yes, Australia will stay on the US bandwagon, but instead of always leading the cheer squad it will need to cultivate some of the skills of the helpful passenger. These include encouraging careful steering, some timely map reading, a judicious use of the brakes and, not least, better road manners. It is unlikely that such advice will be gratefully received. But it would serve the best interests of both countries.

  7. US Garners Support for Strike on Iran, Anne Davies, SMH, 2007-10-02

    Australia, Britain and Israel have reportedly “expressed interest” in a US campaign to launch surgical bombing raids on Iran targeting Revolutionary Guard Corps facilities. The Minister for Defence, Brendan Nelson, was in the US a month ago for briefings with defence officials. Dr Nelson told reporters at the time that he had discussed Iran, but declined to elaborate.

  8. Climate Change Becomes Urgent Security Issue in Australia, Tim Johnston, IHT, 2007-10-03

    As the first bush fires of the year rage through Australia’s national forests, concern over climate change is intensifying among Australians. A telephone survey by the U.S. Studies Center, based at the University of Sydney, showed that 40 percent of Australians thought that global warming was a greater threat to security than Islamic fundamentalism. Only 20 percent thought it was less serious.


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