Skip to comments.
Australians Release Details of Iraq Role
AP
| 5/09/03
| PETER O'CONNOR
Posted on 05/09/2003 6:11:17 AM PDT by kattracks
CANBERRA, Australia, May 09, 2003 (AP Online via COMTEX) -- Elite Australian special forces charged with knocking out Scud missile bases entered deep into Iraq two days before the opening salvo of the war, defense officials said Friday. Releasing details on the role of Australia's 150 Special Air Services troops in Iraq for the first time, defense officials said a large contingent of Australian special forces went into Iraq the night of March 18.
The commandos were mainly charged with reconnaissance and "shoot and scoot" missions tracking key military targets and destroying them, either with their own weapons or by calling in coalition air strikes.
The first allied bombs did not fall on Iraq until early March 20, when Washington attempted a "decapitation" strike on Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi leadership at a suspected hideout in Baghdad.
The first Australian special forces entered Iraq's southern desert in long range jeeps, skirting enemy positions and trenches under the cloak of darkness.
A second group was dropped into the western desert hundreds of miles behind Iraqi lines by U.S. helicopters flying near the ground to evade Iraqi missile defenses and battling poor weather.
"The intent was to insert clandestinely and get deep into the assigned area before the sun came up," said Special Operations Command chief of staff Colonel John Mansell.
A staunch ally of the United States, Australia's special forces commandos were the combat core of its 2,000 troops committed to the war.
The SAS work in small teams of about five men in specially designed jeeps and are trained to operate for up to six weeks without logistical support, or indefinitely if needed, by living off the land.
Mansell said their biggest triumph was the capture of the giant Al Asad air base west of Baghdad, which they achieved with support from Australia F/A-18 fighter-bombers.
Australia suffered no casualties in the war.
The military released the details Friday to coincide with a visit by Prime Minister John Howard to Australian troops based in Qatar.
The first of the SAS troops are expected home within weeks.
By PETER O'CONNOR Associated Press Writer
TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 200303; 20030318; aftermathanalysis; airfield; airstrikes; alasad; ally; australia; johnhoward; missiles; qatar; reconnaissance; sas; scud; scuds; specialops; westernfront
1
posted on
05/09/2003 6:11:18 AM PDT
by
kattracks
To: kattracks
Thank you, Aussies!
To: Byron_the_Aussie
G'Day!
To: kattracks
I salute our Aussie allies.Good job!
4
posted on
05/09/2003 6:18:21 AM PDT
by
MEG33
Comment #5 Removed by Moderator
To: kattracks
Well done, Aussies.
6
posted on
05/09/2003 7:03:37 AM PDT
by
RJL
To: kattracks
An ally we can count on. Apparently, after the Bali bombing, the Aussies were pissed and looking for a fight. As history has shown, being on the receiving end of Aussie anger is not a good place to be.
7
posted on
05/09/2003 7:47:43 AM PDT
by
Modernman
To: Byron_the_Aussie
Your fellow Aussies did an incredible job!
Thanks for being there with us!
Time for you to recycle that Pacific trading group concept again.
8
posted on
05/09/2003 10:00:10 AM PDT
by
Grampa Dave
(Free Republic, where leftist liars are exposed 24/7!)
To: Jeff Head; Travis McGee; Squantos; harpseal; ASA Vet; Beck_isright; BOBTHENAILER; ...
This will have an incredible shock and awe impact on the bad guys as this word gets out.
9
posted on
05/09/2003 10:01:52 AM PDT
by
Grampa Dave
(Free Republic, where leftist liars are exposed 24/7!)
To: kattracks
I wonder how many bin Laden's their actions created...
10
posted on
05/09/2003 10:06:10 AM PDT
by
Guillermo
(It ain't sarcasm if you have to tag it)
To: Grampa Dave
This will have an incredible shock and awe impact on the bad guys as this word gets out.No kidding.
11
posted on
05/09/2003 10:56:07 AM PDT
by
BOBTHENAILER
(FReepers discover the TRUTH, and distribute it.)
To: Grampa Dave; Byron_the_Aussie
Hmmm... you think the Aussie SAS gets much practice at roaming around in vast stretches of destert wasteland?
Oh wait a minute, I just described 2/3 of Oz.
;^)
12
posted on
05/09/2003 11:05:11 AM PDT
by
Travis McGee
(----- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com -----)
To: Travis McGee
Haven't we sent our spec ops there for training. I know in WWII a lot of our GI's went there. One of my uncles spent some time Australia before coming back to his division.
13
posted on
05/09/2003 11:07:14 AM PDT
by
Grampa Dave
(Free Republic, where leftist liars are exposed 24/7!)
To: Grampa Dave
I don't know.
14
posted on
05/09/2003 11:36:10 AM PDT
by
Travis McGee
(----- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com -----)
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson