The Command Post - Iraq - Aussies were "First In"

April 19, 2003

Aussies were "First In"

"Australians were the first into action in this war," a grateful US leader told the Prime Minister in reference to SAS troops who had already taken on Iraqi forces by the time the first cruise missiles hit Baghdad on March 20.
...
"I think they showed early on in the campaign that the area in which they were operating was not an area where they (the Iraqis) could bring their theatre ballistic missiles," defence chief General Peter Cosgrove told The Weekend Australian in an exclusive interview on the conduct of the four-week military campaign.
"They realised: 'Oops. We won't be going back into that area. Every time you go in there you get hit.' "

Insert Particularly Evil Aussie Grin Here.

The Sydney Morning Herald has a few more choice quotes from General Cosgrove.

"At the first moment, with support of other coalition forces, our people crossed the border into Iraq and made a significant dash by night to our operating area. On the way we encountered several dozen Iraqis, whom we dealt with," he said.
"When they got there they started on a surveillance and reconnaissance pattern to see what was in their area."
General Cosgrove said if Iraqis got in the way they were dealt with by direct action or called-in bombers. "If they weren't in the way, they were bypassed."
He said a full squadron of 100 SAS troopers were involved in the operation and there were several firefights against Iraqi military units.
"Iraqis were unable to operate in a military sense anywhere our armed forces were operating. The SAS numbered just over 100, but the Iraqis would have felt they were facing many times more.
"The SAS were operating in open spaces and it was very hard to hide. There were no vantage points and not a lot of vegetation ... so it was a tremendous credit to our people that a smallish force could operate concealed but extremely potently."

The (British) SAS when originally formed operated in conjunction with the LRDG (Long Range Desert Group) doing exactly this kind of work during WW2. Our guys were just keeping up the tradition.

Posted By Alan E Brain at April 19, 2003 10:33 AM | TrackBack

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doesnt seem to me you can go wrong if you have an ausie fighting on your side.....

iether in a barroom brawl or a war...

Posted by: rumcrook at April 19, 2003 10:49 AM

This is my first post here although I've been following Command Post throughout. I say to the Aussies, I like your style.

Posted by: Doris Lane at April 19, 2003 10:49 AM

Lol,We even wore shorts, typical!, we don,t put up with bullshit from nobody, we know whats happening, not if or maybe by some clown 100,s of miles away, time to come home boy,s, youve done your bit.

Posted by: saxien at April 19, 2003 11:17 AM

Many thanks to the Aussies. We Americans won't forget who was on our side, and who was on the other side.

Posted by: T. Hartin at April 19, 2003 11:22 AM

High Fives to my Australian friends!!! Your troops' actions as "the pointy edge" of that very dangerous weapon that the coalition sent to Iraq is to be commended, and recorded in the annals of history. This Texan will damned sure never forget what they did. Never.

P.S. My deer rifle is a Lithgow .303. 1941 manufactured.

Posted by: Kabar at April 19, 2003 11:29 AM

Thank,s to you all for supporting our blokes. We are only a small force over here, and everytime our young blokes go into things like this, we, are to a man, behind them, I live not far from the SAS Swanbourne Barracks in WA, and know quite a few of these guys, as they normally are just part of the place, you know?, the bloke next to you fishing or surfing, or just walking about, these are our kid,s.

Posted by: saxien at April 19, 2003 11:51 AM

LOL Kabar,

You manage to hit anything lately with your old 303?, barrel must be a bit worn out by now, never mind, just hit em over the head with the blunt end, LOL,s

Posted by: saxien at April 19, 2003 11:59 AM

To my friends down in Oz;

Goodonya, mates!!

I'm going to find one of those liter cans of Fosters to celebrate! ;-)

Posted by: Proton at April 19, 2003 12:12 PM

french wine? hell no.

FOSTERS in an oil can? hell yeah!

I will put my dollars behind an Aussie product.

Posted by: rumcrook at April 19, 2003 12:27 PM

When you think about how many lives were saved by these 100......that's class.
Thank you Australia!

Posted by: Nemo at April 19, 2003 12:59 PM

Many thanks, mates, for a job well done! My dad was with the 1st MarDiv in the Solomans in WWII and could not say enough good things about the Aussies. He also enjoyed Young & Jackson's in Melbourne, the nude picture of Cleo (if I recall) as well as many broken mirrors behind the bar due to "discussions" between many branches of the services of many nations, LOL! Good on yeh, mates!

Posted by: Alaska Paul at April 19, 2003 01:22 PM

Australian red wine has forever replaced the yellow (French) stuff in my house.

Posted by: moonbat at April 19, 2003 01:53 PM

wtf is a theater anyway?
theater nuclear weapons.. theater ballistic weapons..

Posted by: gijoe at April 19, 2003 04:18 PM

Thank you guys you are GOOOOOOOD

Posted by: Rowdy at April 19, 2003 06:53 PM

Australia is simply standing four-square with its mates. Its allies for 90 years.

Its the "Anglosphere" thing.

Don't drink Fosters - its crap ! But Aussie wines are very palatable - a bit cheeky, abrupt, but what else would you expect ?

Posted by: JohninLondon at April 20, 2003 12:05 AM