Australia, New Zealand poised for joint mission in Iraq
Australia is weighing a plan to join New Zealand in a training mission in Iraq to help fight against the ISIL Takfiri militants in the war-torn country, Prime Minister Tony Abbott says.
"What we are now considering is joining New Zealand on an additional training mission with the Iraqi regular army," said the visiting premier after a meeting with New Zealand counterpart John Key in Auckland on Saturday.
"We still have to finalize our processes in Australia and I expect that that will happen in the next few days."
New Zealand’s prime minister said on Thursday that his country is set to dispatch non-combat forces to Iraq to train Iraqi military units to better fight the ISIL terrorists operating in the country.
Key added that some 140 troops will initiate a “behind the wire” mission in May to train Iraqi security forces, stressing the soldiers will not be involved in combat missions.
The Australian premier threw his weight behind Key's decision to dispatch troops to Iraq despite objection by all major opposition parties.
"As far as I am concerned, good on John Key for being prepared to shoulder a reasonable share of responsibility for this particular battle," Abbott said at a joint press conference.
As peaceful countries, he added, Australia and New Zealand are reluctant to reach out to “conflicts thousands of miles away, but those conflicts are reaching out to us."
After ISIL swept through parts of Iraq in June 2014 and turned against the West’s interests and executed a number of Western hostages, the US and its allies, including Australia, interfered and started targeting the terrorist group’s strongholds.
The US-led anti-ISIL coalition has been carrying out airstrikes on what it says are ISIL targets since early August 2014 in Iraq. Alleged ISIL positions have also been targeted in Syria since late September.
Australia's role includes aerial support, training, advice and intelligence.
The Australian premier hailed his country’s efforts in the international fight against the ISIL.
"Australia is proud to be part of an international coalition working to disrupt and degrade and ultimately destroy this death cult," Abbott said.
A number of Western countries along with their Middle Eastern allies, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, initially supported the ISIL terrorists in 2012 to topple the government of Syrian President Basher al-Assad.
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