More US bases in Australia

AUSTRALIA is planning to allow the US to build a training base on Queensland’s coast.

The facility could double as a military depot to supply up to 5000 US troops with jets, tanks and artillery. The US military would train its troops and pre-position its tanks, jets, and missiles — and possibly soldiers — at Shoalwater Bay, near Rockhampton, in case of a crisis in Asia.
Shoalwater Bay covers a third of Livingstone Shire, which has a population of 27,000 and centres on the town of Yeppoon.

Mayor of Livingstone Shire Bill Ludwig said he was happy the Federal Government was considering Shoalwater Bay for the training facility.

“It’ll be great for the region. The facilities are already expanding significantly,” Mr Ludwig said.

Senior sources said US President George W. Bush will pressure his advisers to strike a deal with Australia over a training facility at this year’s joint ministerial meeting.

Prime Minister John Howard is understood to want the training base to boost Australia’s ties with the US.

Shoalwater Bay is the site of the military exercises held every two years by Australian and American military forces.

Australia also conducts training exercises with Singapore’s army. Singapore already has a training area covering 270,000 hectares and 180,000 hectares of marine reserve at Shoalwater Bay.

Mr Ludwig said 50,000 troops and up to 300 tanks travelled along the shire’s roads during last year’s exercises with the US. He is now seeking greater federal funding for roads.

The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Richard Myers, let slip the proposal for a training base during a visit to Australia this month.

General Myers later revealed that another option was to build a storage base to pre-position military equipment.

Peter Jennings, director of programs at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said Shoalwater Bay was the most likely site for the facility.

The US was shifting its thinking about its bases in Asia and the need to deploy troops in the region.

“But US forces still need in-theatre training and to practise operating with friends and allies,” Mr Jennings said. “US soldiers may be best kept at home, but pre-positioning equipment overseas makes it easier and less costly to do military exercises.”