- AUSTRALIA'S defence
chief claimed the world could be on the brink of war in an extraordinary
outburst during the Senate inquiry into the children overboard affair.
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- Admiral Chris Barrie, under fire from Opposition MPs
over his handling of the incident on the eve of last year's election, warned
World War III was a distinct possibility.
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- "There are some key analysts in the United States,
and there are analysts in this country who are forecasting the prospect
of a third world war," he said.
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- Admiral Barrie, stung by criticism that he failed to
correct false allegations that children were thrown overboard, said the
incident had to be seen in the context that Australia was going to war.
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- Six months later terrorism was still uncontained, the
Middle East was spiralling "out of control" and global war threatened,
he said.
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- Australia Defence Association executive director Michael
O'Connor challenged Admiral Barrie's claims, saying there was no immediate
threat of global conflict.
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- "I don't know of any analysts predicting a third
world war," he said. "I don't know what he is on about."
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- Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd said
Admiral Barrie's comments were "somewhat remarkable".
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- "I have spoken with senior US officials this week
about the current international security situation and language of world
war three was not part of their private discussions with me," he said.
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- "While plainly there are great risks ahead, I think
it is time the Admiral got a grip because this is not August, 1914 and
not September, 1939."
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- Defence Minister Robert Hill refused to criticise Admiral
Barrie, saying he had not heard the remarks.
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- "Terrorism is a massive global issue which is going
to be complex and difficult to defeat," Senator Hill said.
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- Admiral Barrie warned against a growing complacency in
Australia after the deployment of Diggers in Afghanistan.
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- "I just want to tell you, these are serious times,"
he said. "We haven't (defeated terrorism) and many of us I think are
still very concerned about what is going to happen next. And I don't have
those answers."
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- Safety was not a guarantee in any country.
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- "I would just say to people ... 'What do you think
is going to happen on September 11 this year?"
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- He said the Australian Defence Force's role in the October
7 incident should be taken into that context.
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- One month after September 11, pressures inside the force
were intense as the ANZUS treaty was enacted and Australia prepared for
war.
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- Expectations for action were high, but two weeks after
ANZUS was enacted nothing was happening.
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- "We had to try and find out what the Americans were
thinking of doing," he said. "We (were determined) to make sure
that our forces were going to be deployed in that coalition on conditions
which we are in control of. And we do not want to have a repetition of
the Vietnam War."
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- Admiral Barrie said the children overboard incident was
dealt with successfully and the ADF had moved on.
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- www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,4124912%5E421,00.html
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