Military Expert: Australia to Get More Involved in Iraq Following US Strategy

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Australia may get more involved in the fight against ISIS in Iraq and “wholeheartedly” support the US strategy, after Canberra decided to send weapons to Iraqi Kurds, a military expert from the Lowy Institute from International Policy told RIA Novosti.

MOSCOW, September 5 (RIA Novosti) - Australia may get more involved in the fight against ISIS in Iraq and “wholeheartedly” support the US strategy, after Canberra decided to send weapons to Iraqi Kurds, a military expert from the Lowy Institute from International Policy told RIA Novosti.

“I think Australia will become more involved in this conflict, through a series of incremental decisions. It remains to be seen what the overall strategy of the US will be but I anticipate that the Australian government will wholeheartedly support it,” said James Brown, the Sydney-based military fellow.

Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced earlier this week the plan to send weapons to the Kurdish fighters. The delivery was completed Wednesday.

Although the plan contradicts Australia's initial stance of opposing the war in Iraq, James said it was justified in the fight against the militants of the IS, previously ISIS.

“The government is facilitating the supply of weapons to the Kurdish peshmerga as a means to contain the spread of ISIS into Northern Iraq. This is somewhat justified by the fact that the peshmerga seem to have had the most success in ground combat against ISIS, and the strength of Kurdish controlled areas deserves some reinforcement by outside powers,” James said.

After the United States announced the plan to reinforce its military on the ground in Baghdad by 350 people, Australia’s role was to support the US, the Lowy Institute expert said.

“Australian gains by helping to limit the spread, power, and success of a group fundamentally opposed to the values Australians believe in. We also gain by contributing to the strategic military effort of our major ally, the US as well as contributing to the maintenance of good global order,” James added.

He said the defeating the ISIS would be difficult but not impossible.

“I believe ISIS can be defeated – they rely on safe logistics, good communications, financial stability, fresh recruits, political support, and rest areas. Militaries can target all of those things and degrade the ability of ISIS to function. But that military campaign will not be easy,” James said.

The ISIS, a Sunni extremist group, originated during the US-led Iraq War and was known as al-Qaeda in Iraq. In 2012, it started fighting the Syrian government under the name of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Its ruthless brutality and clashes with Jabhat al-Nusra, an al-Qaeda affiliate, made the latter cut all ties with the IS.

The radical group launched an offensive on Iraq in June, seizing key cities, oil fields and according to Iraqi authorities, some $400 million from banks.

Since August, Washington has carried out airstrikes against the insurgents who established an Islamic caliphate on its controlled areas.

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