Australia:We spurn US on new Iraq role

[cal04]

AUSTRALIA has turned down a request from the Bush administration to "embed" Australian army troops with Iraqi units as the US-led coalition moves to recast its military presence in the war-torn country.

The outgoing US defence secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, first raised the issue of increased Australian involvement in training Iraqi forces with Defence Minister Brendan Nelson several months ago.

The Pentagon's proposal would involve placing small numbers of Australian soldiers in Iraqi units in a training role to help lift their overall operational capability.

Australia's 750-strong military presence already includes several dozen personnel embedded in the US-led coalition headquarters but no troops formally assigned to Iraqi units.



http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20891399-601,00.html

[TheFarseer]

1. no one else wants anything to do with this

there's no hiding that fact anymore. Even the UK is getting out. We're the only dumbsh*ts still stuck there. Thanks Junior!

[poverlay]

2. They know embeds have a higher mortality rate than most. It's hard to avoid a shot from

behind...

[Cobalt-60]

3. In Viet Nam

They embedded American soldiers with the South Vietnamese too.
Their main function was to prevent the ARVNs from running.
You can count on extremely heavy casualties among such " embedded" troops.
It's shameless of Bushco to ask this of the Australians.

[Voltaire99]

4. Exactly. This is how we've learned the lessons of Nam.

Lesson 1: Repeat the same stupid mistakes.
Lesson 2: Just get others to die for them.

Well, good for the Aussies saying no.

[saigon68]

5. The ARVN ran at the first opportunity

"They got up and went"

LOL