Mmmmmm.... Australia's low-frequency radar....tasty!
Posted on 06/18/2004 7:38:14 PM PDT by KangarooJacqui
Australia, US in missile pact
AUSTRALIA would formally commit to the US missile defence program at a joint conference to be held in the US next month, Defence Minister Robert Hill said today.
Senator Hill said the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) would formalise Australia's long-term commitment to participate in the US missile defence program.
"We intend to sign the MOU at the next Australia-US Ministerial Consultations planned in the US for early July," Senator Hill said.
Senator Hill said the MOU would provide a 25-year framework under which broad areas of cooperation can be agreed, before entering into more specific arrangements once individual projects were agreed to.
"This is a long-term commitment to securing our future and strengthening the alliance," he said.
Senator Hill said the first area of cooperation would involve research, development, testing and evaluation of technologies that could be used in the missile defence program.
"This will not only be in our strategic defence interests by further developing our intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems, but also provide maximum opportunities for Australian industry," he said.
A key initial project would be to jointly undertake some exploratory cooperative research and development activities to investigate the potential for Australia's world-leading over-the-horizon radar technology to be used in missile defence.
Other potential areas for participation in the program included greater cooperation in ballistic early missile warning through ship-based and ground-based sensors, Senator Hill said.
Awesome. That'll give the commies in asia soemthing to ponder.
Mmmmmm.... Australia's low-frequency radar....tasty!
Good to see you!
America will never waver in our loyalty to our best friends in the world, the Australians.
Rock on, Sheila!
nice! So, we got Japan, Australia... What about South Korea? I would guess if we haven't got them we'll get them. What will North Korea do then?
Then we can really bring the pain.
oh and, by the way, thank God for Ronald Reagan and 'star wars'. Certainly is paying dividends now eh?
Thanks in large measure to the giveaway of American nuclear, computer and missile technology by the Clinton administration to China and other nations who have shown a sometimes-occasional and sometimes-constant dislike of or hatred of the West, a missile attack from an al-Queda-friendly government is a very real possibility and something that al-Queda is certainly salivating over as something that they would love to do or have a hand in by infuencing key government officials.
Although the original SDI ("Star Wars") plans were for space-based missile protection systems designed for high-altitude and long-range ICBM's, recent developments and tests have shown great promise for shorter-range protection systems, making a protection system for Australia to shield from nearby nations, such as Indonesia, a real and viable possibility where the attacking missile in question is operating at a much lower altitude and at a much shorter flight time.
This agreement is a win-win situation for all of the sane nations of the world, in that we can not only demonstrate effective international cooperation toward a common essential goal, but it will show an additional level of philosophical and political bonding between friendly nations, something that al-Queda is doing it's utmost to destabilize.
My hope is that we can forge similar pacts between all friendly and sane nations against this mutual threat.
Unfortunately, I feel the need to apologize to all Australians and all friendly nations of the world for our past President Clinton, who, along with his fellow-travellers, did his utmost to bring us all to this difficult international situation that we face today. My hope is that through international cooperation toward common defence initiatives such as illustrated by this pact we can undo the criminal errors of the Clinton administration and build a safer world for everyone.
My hope also is that the American people remember these things in our November elections, and will retain our good and honorable President who the world can trust to stand by his word and continue with similar initiatives such as this pact between Australia and the United States.
British royal navy fleet visits China military
exercise
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200406/18/eng20040618_146745.html
Dont talk too soon.
If the pack of idiots known as the ALP win the next election (IMHO a distinct possibility) we may very well join NZ. Latham would pull out of missile defense cooperation in a heart beat. They have already indicated that they will downgrade the US alliance and, after his comments about GWB, Latham would be about as welcome at the White House as the bubonic plague.
It's a worry.
Although it's nice to see efforts at international cooperation like this with China, also in today's news (and posted elsewhere on FR) is an item detailing how China is rethinking it's "no first strike" pledge regarding nukes.
Although they are couching their statements in "anti-terrorist" terms, it's clear that this is meant as a threat to Taiwan.
As usual, China is doing it's best to be inscrutable and difficult to trust.
Done. We got your back.
Not much fuss was made when Japan joined the missile defense system but now with Australia on board, we are seeing the groundworks of a global strategery. The next country to sign on might reveal more clues as to the action behind the scenes.
Yes, I agree. One day, and I hope it is soon, we will have at much more protection against our enemies' WMDs. From rogue attacks to an all-out war, we are going to be glad Presidents Reagan and Eisenhower believed in defending our skies. Here comes President Bush with another rattle pack for the "don't tread on me" serpent.
U.S. President Eisenhower, in his memoirs, wrote that Overlord, the Allied invasion of Nazi occupied Europe, might have been written off had the German missile threat existed a few months earlier. --- Missle Threat FAQ
To use the Australian vernacular (as I feel I'm entitled to, as I was born here): "Bloody oath, mate"...
(which roughly translates to a vehement version of the word "yes")
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