Howard, you piece of [expletive]

Speculation appears to be getting us nowhere, so I decided to go directly to the source.

Firstly, Exercise: Talisman Sabre is quite real. The following is taken from the Exercise's home page:

More than 6,000 Australian and 11,000 US personnel from Navy, Army, Air Force, Marine and Special Forces units will participate in TS05, a merger of the TANDEM THRUST and CROCODILE series of exercises. TS05 will commence on June 12, with a troop build-up now under way in Rockhampton and, expected to begin in Townsville around May 27.

TALISMAN SABRE’s primary aim is to conduct collective training and exercise inter-operability between Australian and US forces.

The biennial exercise will further develop the ADF’s capability to undertake joint, combined operations and will help build regional security and complement our regional partner’s activities with the US.

Based on fictional scenarios, the exercise includes combined Special Forces operations, parachute drops, amphibious landings at Shoalwater Bay, artillery and infantry manoeuvres, air combat training and advanced maritime operations.

Safety is paramount throughout TS05, with the safety of personnel and the environment the number one consideration. This exercise is being conducted in accordance with approved environmental rules, guidelines and audits.

Exercise Talisman Sabre

All bolding was my own.

The site goes on to state that an "Exercise Environmental Monitoring Group" has been established to ensure that environmental damage is kept to a minimum and that the chances of such damage occurring, as well as its impact, have been considered by the ADF and the Minister for Environment and Heritage.

The ADF has also set up a Public and Media Information Line to handle enquiries regarding the Exercise, so if you genuinely have concerns, maybe you should give them a call and have your concerns properly addressed.

Finally, the site also has an Environmental Policy Document in PDF available for download.

Honestly, they're never going to rampantly bomb chunks of the Barrier Reef. That would serve no purpose and would be political suicide. Exercises such as this are essential to Australia's security. We need to be able to work together with our allies to defend this country should the need arise. I think that the environmental dangers inherent, though valid, have been blown out of proportion. It seems as if the ADF is taking every step to ensure transparency and accountability. Would you rather that such exercises were never conducted?

In any case, if you are genuinely concerned (which, in my mind, is a good thing) why not phone up the Info line?

[edit on 4/3/07 by Jeremiah25]

Originally posted by Jeremiah25has been established to ensure that environmental damage is kept to a minimum

Great find, thanks for that hey, eases me on a few things.. but the above still warrants a worried approach.

I still dont see why it cant be re-located to an Atol, or some baaron beach?

reply to post by Agit8dChop


One must also remember, that most of the Australian Media is owned by two of the wealthiest families in the worl. Both of whom have major stakes in the NWO..lol

The Millitary base to be built here isn't for security in the Region. But rather for when the US Govt decides to move into the Parlement Building..lol

C'mon, what the hell would we need 150,000 US Mariens & all the HArdware they are gunna bring in.

Australia dosn't need that sort of protection. These troops are for control not for support.

Also, The USalready has 50,000 Troops herein a base far to the north, near Darwin.

When the US moved those troops here they did so on a promise that AU citizens would be able to travel back & forth from the US freely without Green Cards "the same sort of relationship AU has with NZ".

But alas the US got their base & then decided not to pay up!!!

Not that I'd ever want to come to the US anyway... it's a dump!!