Troops to Go to Gulf, Prime Minister Says
Australia will begin deploying troops and military hardware to the Persian Gulf over the next two weeks to join the U.S.-led coalition against terrorism, Prime Minister John Howard said today in Canberra.
Howard said the deployment was ordered after a telephone request from President Bush.
Howard said an exact deployment date had not been set.
He has pledged a detachment of 150 Special Air Services troops, two B-707 refueling aircraft, two P-3 long-range maritime planes, two frigates, one amphibious command ship and four F/A-18A fighter jets.
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