Bruce in West Oz
March 23, 2003, 07:21 AM
Australian SAS destroys ballistic missile site: Hill
March 23 2003
Australia's SAS troops have destroyed what appeared to be a ballistic missile site in Iraq, Defence Minister Robert Hill said today.
Senator Hill said the site was fully set up with equipment like cranes and fuel tanks.
There were no Australian casualties in the overnight action.
US Ambassador Tom Schieffer said the US military was impressed with the significant contribution made to the war by Australian SAS troops, the navy and the RAAF.
"They are highly trained, they were ready for this encounter, and they have really done a terrific job and people are giving them great plaudits in the American military," he said.
Australian FA/18 Hornets pulled out of a bombing raid at the last minute because of uncertainty about the target, Senator Hill told the Nine Network.
He said they were "uncomfortable about aspects of certainty in relation to the target".
"That's exactly what we were told by the Air Force Chief would occur to ensure absolute minimum collateral damage," Senator Hill said.
He said the Hornets, whose role so far as been mainly defensive, were expected to fly more strike missions over the next few days.
Senator Hill, who was briefed this morning by Defence Forces chief General Peter Cosgrove and spoke by phone with his British counterpart Geoffrey Hoon, said the war was going well and he still believed it would be short.
Coalition troops were about halfway to Baghdad, resistance was sporadic and there had been surrenders en masse.
Iraqi troops in southern Iraq had not been expected to resist strongly.
Many were conscripts, they were not well paid, it looked as if they hadn't been fed recently and morale was low.
However, the real test would come in the next 24 hours when the coalition forces were likely to come up against the professional soldiers of the Iraqi Republican Guard, Senator Hill said.
If Iraq were to use weapons of mass destruction, that was likely to be the time, he said.
I have a friend in the SAS -- naturally, I have no idea where he really is -- but I know Jim would be enjoying this "challenge".
Bruce
March 23 2003
Australia's SAS troops have destroyed what appeared to be a ballistic missile site in Iraq, Defence Minister Robert Hill said today.
Senator Hill said the site was fully set up with equipment like cranes and fuel tanks.
There were no Australian casualties in the overnight action.
US Ambassador Tom Schieffer said the US military was impressed with the significant contribution made to the war by Australian SAS troops, the navy and the RAAF.
"They are highly trained, they were ready for this encounter, and they have really done a terrific job and people are giving them great plaudits in the American military," he said.
Australian FA/18 Hornets pulled out of a bombing raid at the last minute because of uncertainty about the target, Senator Hill told the Nine Network.
He said they were "uncomfortable about aspects of certainty in relation to the target".
"That's exactly what we were told by the Air Force Chief would occur to ensure absolute minimum collateral damage," Senator Hill said.
He said the Hornets, whose role so far as been mainly defensive, were expected to fly more strike missions over the next few days.
Senator Hill, who was briefed this morning by Defence Forces chief General Peter Cosgrove and spoke by phone with his British counterpart Geoffrey Hoon, said the war was going well and he still believed it would be short.
Coalition troops were about halfway to Baghdad, resistance was sporadic and there had been surrenders en masse.
Iraqi troops in southern Iraq had not been expected to resist strongly.
Many were conscripts, they were not well paid, it looked as if they hadn't been fed recently and morale was low.
However, the real test would come in the next 24 hours when the coalition forces were likely to come up against the professional soldiers of the Iraqi Republican Guard, Senator Hill said.
If Iraq were to use weapons of mass destruction, that was likely to be the time, he said.
I have a friend in the SAS -- naturally, I have no idea where he really is -- but I know Jim would be enjoying this "challenge".
Bruce