70 non-combat troops for Iraq (Australia)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/02/19/1171733666282.html

Australia will bolster its commitment to Iraq by sending up to 70 extra non-combat troops to help train local forces to deal with growing sectarian violence in the war-torn nation.

Prime Minister John Howard has indicated between 50 and 70 extra military instructors will head to Iraq to train the Iraqi army and police.

"We are talking here probably up to 50 or 70 people," Mr Howard told journalists in Perth, where he is on a four-day visit.

Mr Howard said he imagined the troops would go some time in the next two to four months.

They might be subject to rotation, and the length of their stay would depend on ongoing assessments, he said.

[journalist3072]

1. I'm touched. A whole 70 non-combat troops? Their commitment knows no bounds.

And this from the country who's PM had the nerve to criticize Barack Obama's plan for Iraq?

[magellan]

2. Wow, Howard, that's a bloody courageous "surge"

70 non-combat troops to bolster what, the food service in the mess tent?

And this from the man who took a jab at Obama for opposing Bush**'s escalation of 21,500 troops.

[dipsydoodle]

3. Reckon they'll be

the milk monitors ? :rofl:

[MidwestTransplant]

4. That will show Obama

[cal04]

5. Extra troops 'planned before Xmas'

AUSTRALIA has been planning since before Christmas to send extra non-combat troops to Iraq, Defence Minister Brendan Nelson said.

Prime Minister John Howard yesterday announced that Australia would send almost 70 more trainers to Iraq to help train up the local forces.

"There will be 10 trainers that will go to the Iraqi Officer Training Academy, another 10 trainers for the basic training centre at Talill, and we'll send about 50 trainers in logistics," Dr Nelson told ABC radio today.

(snip)
"Labor's position is that it is time for our combat forces to come home. Labor's position also is we don't support any additional troops going to Iraq," Labor leader Kevin Rudd told ABC radio.

"We've argued for a long time that there are different ways that you could provide security assistance to the Iraqis, one of which is to provide training services in Oman and Jordan to bolster Iraq's security defences," he said.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21255464-1702,00.html

[gratuitous]

6. All of them will look like Russell Crowe

And come with their own tugboat sidekick. Foightin' all over the world, them Aussies!