1. Australian military intervention in Iraq
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has announced Australia will send RAAF combat aircraft and army Special Forces advisers to join the fight in Iraq against the Islamic State terrorist group.
He told a press conference yesterday that eight Royal Australian Air Force F/A18 Super Hornet or “classic” Hornet combat aircraft, an E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft, and a KC-30A multi-role tanker and transport aircraft, along with 600 Australian Defence Force personnel — 400 from the RAAF and 200 from the Army — will be deployed to Iraq within days.
The ABC reports Mr Abbott said: “Again, I stress that this movement is neither Islamic nor a state. It is a death cult reaching out to countries such as Australia.”
2. World leaders’ outrage over beheading
The latest beheading by ISIS, this time of British aid worker David Haines, has provoked outrage across the globe.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott told media the Islamic State’s beheading of Haines “should make all of us more resolved than ever to do whatever we reasonably can to disrupt, degrade and if possible destroy this movement”.
British Prime Minister David Cameron released a statement condemning the slaying as “an act of pure evil”, while US President Obama told a press conference “Those who threaten the United States will find no safe haven.”
3. Missing three-year old
Police are now entering day four of the search for missing three-year old William Tyrell on the NSW mid-north coast.
The little boy, dressed in a Spiderman suit, disappeared from his grandparent’s house at 10.30am on Friday.
Top Comments
Its all done now no changing it. They are off tomorrow and lets just hope they stay safe and none get captured. No ground troops should be deployed there is no way our men would be able to beat someine who has no emotions and no conscience as to who and how they murder.
I am curious as to what those who are criticizing the PMs decision to send a small contingent to the Middle East think he should do? At the request of the US and the Iraqi prime minister Australia has agreed to help. And both the current PM and the opposition leader are supportive of that decision. They haven't sent the entire army in they have sent a small number of resources in a support role, not a combat role at this stage. But please, before you comment, remember that these poor souls being beheaded are someone's son, husband, father or brother and so are our troops going to their aid.
Well said Jacqui. I'm uncomfortable with Australia becoming involved in another military 'exercise' in the Middle East, but I'm also uncomfortable reading about innocent people being beheaded too. Unfortunately, this is the world we now live in and we need to step up and help. It's not always somebody else's problem to solve. My prayers are with all the military personnel involved
But Jacqui, how long do you think a small contingent and a small number of resources is going to stay small? Mark my words, this is just the beginning. Something has to be done for sure, but rushing in head first and arming all and sundry with weapons really needs to be planned a bit better, as history has shown us time and time again. Why can't anybody say they want to hear an intelligent discussion on the consequences of arming Kurds before we burst into another war and everyone starts blowing each other up, without being accused of 'not caring'? I don't like innocent people getting slaughtered either but I can tell you now there's about to be a whole lot more of it.