Pentagon Update

By Wendy Wang
On his first visit to the US, as Defense Minister, Dr. Nelson offers the Australian government’s support to the global war on terrorism, and outlines the shared values between the two countries including that of a liberal democracy and free enterprise. He vows that Australia, though geographically remote from the United States, will not wait for terrorism to "turn up on their doorsteps" and will face the enemy and

This is his first visit as Defense Minister. The two countries have fought side by side since WWI, and cooperated in the current war on Terrorism. Share values, liberal democracy and free enterprise. War against terrorism isn’t to wait for it to turn up on their doorsteps.

Rumsfeld was asked about his views on the growing cost of war, to which he responded that although the cost of any conflict in history has been hard to predict, the costs generated by the events on 9/11 is enormous. He predicts that another event like 9/11 could cost the US and the world multiples of that. Rumsfeld further to illustrate how the cost of national defense has gradually decreased since the time he arrives in Washington during the Eisenhower Administration. Rumsfeld recalls that the nation was spending up to 10 percent of the gross domestic product on defense, whereas today the government is spending around 3.7 percent. While, he admits that the costs are high, he says that we need to accept the cost of peace and stability in the world.

The Australian Minister agrees with the US that the cost of war isn’t as great as the eminent threat and repeats the Administration’s words of not discussing any form of troop withdrawal until the Iraqi government is capable of standing up on its own.

Rumsfeld offers the president’s view that a timetable for resolve is not "useful" and would actually encourage the insurgency to wait out the coalition forces. He reiterates the goal is to success, and not to trade something off for something else. But that reduction would be condition based. However he does say that there need to be a national reconciliation in Iraq in order for the violence to abate. The Australian minister says his country strongly endorses the US position and resolve.

In terms of North Korea, Nelson admits the gravity that a potential missile launch would present to the nations of the world, and particularly within the region. He notes that the US is foremost in capability to intercept or counter such a maneuver on the part of the North Korean and will support US actions of interception, although he holds high hopes for a diplomatic resolution.