Civil and military chiefs deny report of Abbott’s Iraq invasion plan

TONY Abbott has confirmed that military discussions with the Dutch covered the prospect of a joint troop deployment to Ukraine.

Tony Abbott dmitted discussing sending troops into Ukraine in Question Time today.

TONY Abbott has confirmed in parliament that “important” and “necessary” military discussions with the Dutch did cover the prospect of a significant joint troop deployment to Ukraine.

The proposed deployment was to secure the crash site of MH17 which was downed in disputed territory, allegedly by pro-Russian rebels.

The Prime Minister used Question Time today to defend Australia’s consideration of the proposal, saying it was seriously discussed by the militaries of both Australia and the Dutch.

A total of 38 Australian residents and citizens were among the 298 passengers who were on board the Malaysia airlines flight when it was shot down over Eastern Ukraine on July 17 last year.

Mr Abbott today warned the bodies of dead Australians were at risk of violation by pro-Russian rebels and described the situation as “perilous”, saying he would never apologise for defending the rights of Australians at home or abroad.

Mr Abbott provided the explanation after questioned by Opposition Deputy Leader and Foreign Affairs spokeswoman, Tanya Plibersek, about a report carried in The Australian last August.

The report said the Prime Minister was “ready to send 1000 Australian troops into Ukraine” as part of a joint deployment.

The story, by Editor-at-large Paul Kelly, said that “detailed plans” were drawn up and Mr Abbott was “deadly serious” but abandoned the idea when it was no longer necessary.

While Mr Abbott did not directly dispute that a figure of 1000 troops was canvassed, he clarified the number was not initially raised by him and nor was it a ‘frivolous” issue.

“There was talk with the Dutch about a joint operation,” Mr Abbott said. “Was it suggested, was the number (of 1000 troops) that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition put to me, suggested by me? No. Was this some kind of frivolous exercise by me? No.

“This arose out of the most important and the most necessary discussion between the Dutch military and our own to uphold and defend our vital national interest.”

Mr Abbott said that, in the days immediately following the shooting down of MH17 by Russian backed rebels, discussions took place about “what might be done” to ensure the bodies were returned to their loved ones.

“We did talk to the Dutch about this as the Australian people would have expected,” he said. “We were not going to allow dead Australians to be violated… We were going to stand up for the rights of their families. And we will never, never apologise for standing up for the rights of Australians here and abroad.”

However, when pressed by Opposition Leader Bill Shorten about whether he had ever participated in any discussions in which a unilateral ground invasion of Iraq was considered, Mr Abbott said: “No, I haven’t”.

Mr Abbott read aloud the statement issued earlier today by the nation’s civil and military chiefs, saying the Prime Minister did not raise the prospect of a “unilateral invasion of Iraq” either informally or formally with the ADF or the Department of Defence.

The Weekend Australian reported that, on November 25, Mr Abbott sat down to a meeting and said Australia could take a lead with a unilateral invasion of northern Iraq using 3500 ground troops.

Mr Abbott’s powerful chief of staff, Peta Credlin, was present at the meeting and offered no resistance to the suggestion.

It was further reported Mr Abbott then tried out the proposal on military planners who were left aghast at the plan.

However, the Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin, and the Secretary of the Department of Defence, Dennis Richardson, today issued a written statement denying that a proposal for a unilateral deployment of 3500 ground troops to Iraq was raised with the Department or the ADF.

“At no point has the Prime Minister raised that idea with the ADF and/or the Department of Defence, formally or informally, directly or indirectly,” said Air Chief Marshal Binskin and Mr Richardson.

Mr Abbott today read out the statement word for word.

However, The Australian stands-by the story. Editor Clive Mathieson says: “We stand by the story 100 per cent”.

Mr Mathieson said there was no suggestion in The Weekend Australian’s articles that Mr Abbott ‘formally’ sought advice on a deployment of 3500 troops to Iraq.

“And in response to Air Chief Marshal Binskin, the articles never suggested he was at the meetings in question. In fact, The Australian can confirm he was not in attendance.”

Associate Editor John Lyons, who wrote the piece, said he never identified the November 25 meeting as a national security committee of cabinet meeting and confirmed there were several witnesses to Mr Abbott’s proposal to send 3500 ground forces to Iraq.

“We never said that it was a national security committee of cabinet meeting,” said Mr Lyons. “As we said in the story, it was said in front of his own staff and others including Ms Credlin.”