Defence analysis

with

Ross Eastgate is a military historian, writer and journalist specialising in defence. A graduate of Duntroon and the Army Command and Staff College, he has served in the Middle East, PNG and East Timor.

mass and area of strategic interest.

Although thus described by Britain and the Orient by France, Australia has strangely observed the European naming convention.

Australia has also fought in a number of campaigns there, from Mesopotamia (Iraq), Turkey, Syria and Palestine in World War I, returning to some of those places in World War II, then again in the First Gulf War in Iraq in 1991.

Australia’s role in the region has extended beyond warfighting.

In July 1956 Australia contributed four army officers to the UN Truce Supervision Organisation, established to observe and report on hostilities between Israel and its Arab neighbours.

UNTSO’S role has not always been appreciated by either side, though Australia’s long military history in the re

gion has given its military observers some credibility.

Australians were denied any role in the UN Emergency Force, established in November 1956 to monitor the area between the Suez Canal and Gaza.

Israel and Egypt, particularly its mercurial president Gamal Abdel Nasser were suspicious of UNEF, which Nasser demanded be withdrawn in May 1967 just prior to the SixDay War two months later.

Australia did contribute RAAF helicopters to UNEF II formed after the October 73 war.

That commitment continued when UNEF II was replaced in 1979 by the non-un Multi Force and Observers.

Australian UNTSO observers also played a crucial role establishing the UN Disengagement Observer Force in 1974 on the Golan Heights.

Likewise in March 1978

CONTIGUOUS LAND BORDERS FACILITATE EASY TROOP MOVEMENT THROUGHOUT THE REGION, MODERN, LONG-RANGE WEAPONS CROSS THEM WITH EASE. ROSS EASTGATE

Australians played a crucial role establishing the UN Interim Force In Lebanon, including two who were in the initial deployment.

Last week in Fiji, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Australian and Fijian defence force personnel would participate in a joint deployment to UNDOF, pending UN approval.

For Australia in the far west it seems the more things change, the more they stay the same.