Former defence minister says Australia should have given ‘favourable consideration’ to US plea for more troops to fight Isis in the Middle East

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Kevin Andrews has taken a swipe at his successor, Marise Payne, after the defence minister denied a request from the United States to send more Australian troops to the Middle East to fight Isis.

Andrews, who lost the defence portfolio when Malcolm Turnbull became prime minister in September, said Payne should have given “favourable consideration” to the American request.

“She has information before her that I obviously don’t in making the decision, but my general in principle view is that if the Americans have made a reasonable request of us, then we should be giving it the most favourable consideration,” Andrews told ABC Radio on Thursday. “We are a long term, decades-long alliance partner with the US and we should therefore be starting with a favourable consideration of what the US request of us. Because at the end of the day, the US have come to our aid on occasions when we’ve needed them.”

He continued to press the minister on putting troops on the ground in Syria and Iraq, saying the current contribution of conducting airstrikes and training troops was “useful” but ultimately ineffective in defeating Isis, also known as Daesh or Isil.

“It’s quite clear from the advice I received and that I was aware of, what the American military personnel and defence leaders were suggesting, and that was for months they were suggesting that we need forces on the ground in order to defeat Isil,” he said.

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Andrews warned that being “complacent” about our contribution to the military efforts would lead to more terrorism threats at home and abroad.

The opposition leader, Bill Shorten, told reporters that members of the government should be unified on the issue of national security.

“Defence and our troops in the Middle East should not be used for a political battle inside the Liberal party,” he said.

Labor had not been advised of the troop request and was seeking a briefing from the minister, he said.

Turnbull confirmed on Wednesday night that Australia would not send more troops to the war-torn region, ahead of an official visit to the United States next week.

Payne released a statement saying she had advised the US defence secretary, Ash Carter, that Australia’s military contribution in Syria and Iraq would not change.

“Australia has considered the request from US secretary of defense Ash Carter in light of the substantial contributions we are already making to train Iraqi security forces and to the air campaign,” she said. “The government has advised secretary Carter that our existing contributions will continue.”

But she noted that Australia might make additional command and humanitarian contributions in the future.



“We will increase the number of Australian Defence Force personnel in coalition headquarters from 20 to 30,” the minister said. “Our aircraft in the Middle East are available to provide additional airlift support to benefit coalition humanitarian efforts.”

Last year Turnbull indicated that Australia might send peacekeepers to Syria, if the country made progress on finding a political solution to its long-running and bloody civil war.



Carter had requested greater assistance from the 40 coalition partners, including Australia, following the Paris terrorism attacks late last year.



Delivering his first national security statement in Parliament in November, Turnbull ruled out sending ground troops to Iraq.

“The government of Iraq has not consented to any of our defence forces being deployed outside the wire on ground combat operations,” he told the chamber. “The government of Iraq believes that large scale Western troop operations in its country would be counterproductive.”

He slapped down members of the Coalition’s right who were agitating for a stronger response.

“Our response must be as clear-eyed and strategic as it is determined. This is not a time for gestures or machismo,” Turnbull said. “Calm, clinical, professional, effective. That’s how we defeat this menace.”