Shut up and read: Australia special forces were in Iraq before war began
Associated Press
May. 9, 2003 07:55 AM
CANBERRA, Australia - Elite Australian special forces charged with
knocking out Scud missile bases entered deep into Iraq two days before
the opening salvo of the war, defense officials said Friday.
Releasing details on the role of Australia's 150 Special Air Services troops
in Iraq for the first time, defense officials said a large contingent of
Australian special forces went into Iraq the night of March 18.
The commandos were mainly charged with reconnaissance and "shoot
and scoot" missions tracking key military targets and destroying them,
either with their own weapons or by calling in coalition air strikes.
The first allied bombs did not fall on Iraq until early March 20, when
Washington attempted a "decapitation" strike on Saddam Hussein and the
Iraqi leadership at a suspected hideout in Baghdad.
The first Australian special forces entered Iraq's southern desert in long
range jeeps, skirting enemy positions and trenches under the cloak of
darkness.
A second group was dropped into the western desert hundreds of miles
behind Iraqi lines by U.S. helicopters flying near the ground to evade Iraqi
missile defenses and battling poor weather.
"The intent was to insert clandestinely and get deep into the assigned area
before the sun came up," said Special Operations Command chief of staff
Colonel John Mansell.
A staunch ally of the United States, Australia's special forces commandos
were the combat core of its 2,000 troops committed to the war.
The SAS work in small teams of about five men in specially designed
jeeps and are trained to operate for up to six weeks without logistical
support, or indefinitely if needed, by living off the land.
Mansell said their biggest triumph was the capture of the giant Al Asad air
base west of Baghdad, which they achieved with support from Australia
F/A-18 fighter-bombers.
Australia suffered no casualties in the war.
The military released the details Friday to coincide with a visit by Prime
Minister John Howard to Australian troops based in Qatar.
The first of the SAS troops are expected home within weeks. |
