Mideast mission ends for Aussies

AUSTRALIA will pull its military out of the Middle East to protect Australia, with the last naval element of the ADF’S commitment to the region now being withdrawn.

In line with the 2020 Strategic Defence Review from July, the Australian Defence Force will focus resources, training and deployments in the Indo-pacific region and effectively end 30 years of sending troops and assets to the Middle East.

The move follows the US drawdown from that region — announced late last year — as well as the ADF’S own assessment recently on its stretched resources, due to commitments to combat floods, bushfires and the COVID-19 crisis.

It found the Royal Australian Navy ( pictured) could now not put enough ships out to sea.

There are already almost 3000 ADF on COVID-19 duties. The ADF also wants to conduct more engagement with the Pacific nations and elsewhere, worried by China’s growing military influence in the region.

“We now face an increasingly challenging strategic environment which is placing greater demand on ADF resources closer to home,” Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said. “As a result, the Australian Defence Force will reduce its naval presence in the Middle East.”

The changes include ceasing the annual deployment of a RAN ship to the Middle East and not extending Australia’s commitment to the International Maritime Security Construct beyond December 2020.

Other air assets and their support crews had also quietly been withdrawn in recent months.