US to test bombs in Australia

Kathy Newnam, Darwin

Opposition to the planned US-Australia military training centres in Queensland and the Northern Territory continues to grow.

Following his participation in US defence and Pentagon briefings, former senior ANZUS treaty advisor Ross Babbage told media that the US is planning to use the centres to test new generation weapons, including smart bombs.

This report sparked outrage in the community around Shoalwater Bay, Queensland, the planned site for the largest military training centre. Community concerns have been heightened by recent reports from the US that a fighter plane accidentally fired 25 rounds of ammunition at a school in New Jersey instead of a military target range more than 5km away.

Tens of millions of dollars will be spent in the upgrades of Shoalwater Bay along with the Delamere Range and Bradshaw Station bases in the NT. Babbage also told media that while there is no proposal to base US troops in Australia "they could stage through Australia if they needed to".

The first major exercise, Talisman Sabre, is scheduled for 2007, when up to 20,000 troops could descend on Queensland and the NT.

From Green Left Weekly, November 17, 2004.

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From GLW issue 606