Fed: Planning for Iraq deployment started last year

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Fed: Planning for Iraq deployment started last year

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CANBERRA, Feb 12 AAP - Planning for deployment of troops to the Middle East startedlast year but officers negotiating with their US counterparts were strictly instructedagainst making any commitment, a parliamentary committee heard today.

Defence Force Chief General Peter Cosgrove said the initial discussions were conductedby Australian Defence Force (ADF) officers at the United States Central Command (CENTCOM)headquarters in Tampa, Florida, during the last quarter of last year.

General Cosgrove said the officers were briefed to watch, observe, discuss and reportbut not to commit and that had not changed.

No official government decision was taken on pre-deploying Australian forces untilthe meeting of the National Security Committee of cabinet on January 10.

Although some 2,000 Australian personnel are pre-deploying to the Gulf, the governmenthas yet to make any formal decision on involvement in any war with Iraq.

"We didn't negotiate with them (CENTCOM) about the deployment. We negotiated with themabout the sorts of force elements that might be useful to them and viable and significantfrom our point of view," General Cosgrove told a Senate estimates committee.

He said those discussions were authorised by cabinet on the basis of absolutely noquestion of commitment.

"All along the way officers acting on Australia's behalf at that headquarters werestrictly enjoined against any suggestion of commitment," he said.

General Cosgrove said Australia had six or seven officers with CENTCOM throughout thewar on terror.

But two other senior Australian officers went to CENTCOM to liaise with the US militaryon Iraq planning in early August.

Their posting was approved by the National Security Committee on July 23 and they wentto the US on August 10. Subsequently a team which reached 25, headed by a Brigadier, workedwith the US on Iraq contingency planning.

General Cosgrove said they recommended to the government what the ADF could committo an Iraq operation.

Defence Minister Robert Hill said ADF personnel had been based in CENTCOM taking careof Australia's interests throughout the war on terror.

"Throughout the course of last year there became a growing focus on Iraq and weaponsof mass destruction," he said.

"The government authorised the ADF personnel to engage in planning discussions withthe US military."

AAP mb/sb

KEYWORD: IRAQ AUST COSGROVE