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Fri 5 Nov, 2004 12:11 am
US to test bombs in Australia
November 5, 2004 - 12:49PM/the AGE
The United States is preparing to test new-generation weapons, including smart bombs, on Australian territory under an agreement currently under negotiation.
Brisbane's Courier-Mail newspaper revealed Canberra and Washington were currently hammering out a new defence training agreement which included multi-million upgrades to Queensland's Shoalwater Bay facility and the Northern Territory's Bradshaw training area and the Delamere Air Weapons Range.
Former ANZUS treaty adviser Ross Babbage, who has just returned from defence briefings in the US, revealed that tactics and cutting-edge communications would also be tested under the proposals, bringing the two nations closer together.
Professor Babbage said there would be experimentation with self-guided smart bombs and live or "dummy" bombing raids into Australia from US aircraft carriers.
He said smaller versions of smart bombs, which could pinpoint hinges on tanks, would also be experimented with, while Bradshaw would host extensive special operations, ground forces and surveillance training.
A joint training centre would be built to link Australian and US forces and provide real-time battlefield assessments.
Prof Babbage said the public had not yet been told the significance and benefit of the training to Australian forces.
"What I can see happening is rather more than what has been revealed," Prof Babbage told the newspaper.
"There will be things that will be learned together, they will try completely new things."
Prof Babbage said the deal would send a strong message to the region of US support for Australia.
© 2004 AAP
OMG, this is so worrying!
British nuclear tests in the 1950s, US testing coming up! Will we never learn?
US forces get the nod,
it's a set-back for your country...
US Forces let them in,
it'll be good for the country
holy cow - how can that be?
I have no idea, k. But yesterday it was a news item. Today, nothing!
Well, if it IS for the common good, they can have Adelaide. It is a sacrifice that I make with a heavy heart..........
<snigger>
<HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA>
Stilly, m-a-a-a-t-e...
you never give up, do you?
Stop it, Stilly! This is serious! <spank!>
I have to be missing something here, why cant the US of A test their bombs on US soil, and why would Oz agree to them using their back yard?
Don1 wrote:I have to be missing something here, why cant the US of A test their bombs on US soil, and why would Oz agree to them using their back yard?
Very good question, Don1! Seems logical to me!
But still no further word on this since the ABC's news item on Friday. Funny that. I think someone's let the cat out of the bag way too soon & may be being spanked as we speak! :wink:
But if means the idea gets stymied, GOOD!
Don1 wrote:I have to be missing something here, why cant the US of A test their bombs on US soil, and why would Oz agree to them using their back yard?
I was just about to ask the same thing. It's not like we don't have enough territory.
I trust you know I am not in favor of this.
what ever happened with white sands?
Don1 wrote:I have to be missing something here, why cant the US of A test their bombs on US soil, and why would Oz agree to them using their back yard?
Because the USA is da boss - and we, it appears, have learned nothing - at least the conservative slender voting majority haven't - since the fifties, when we happily let the Brits poison us with nuclear bombs.
oh, good grief, I can hardly bear it.
But we're worried about these folks detonating nuclear devices on Australian soil....
Quote:The federal government has moved to re-list four terrorist organisations and warns that Jemaah Islamiah (JI) may step up its terror campaign with nuclear weapons.
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said any organisation that targeted innocent people, such as JI had in the Bali bombings, was capable of using nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction to further their campaign.
source
Deb. How long have the Downers been interbreeding? Alexander seems to be the result of too many first cousins fancying each other....
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