Australia Commits Forces to Fight ISIS

Australia announced it would send 600 Australian Defense Personnel, as well as various Royal Australian Air Force combat aircrafts, to the United Arab Emirates to be part of the fight against ISIS. Prime Minister Tony Abbott stressed this military contribution did not mean Australia was at war, but he admitted the country could be making a long-term commitment. “I have to warn the Australian people that should this preparation and deployment extend into combat operations, this could go on for quite some time — months rather than weeks, perhaps many, many months indeed,’” Abbott said. He referenced the recent beheading of British aid worker David Haines, saying it “should make all of us more resolved than ever to do whatever we reasonably can to disrupt, degrade and if possible destroy this movement” He said 60 Australians already fight for ISIS and other terrorist groups. Still, critics have quickly slammed Abbott for potentially dragging Australia into another long war. “Make no mistake. Today, Tony Abbott has committed Australia to blindly following the United States into another war in Iraq,” said Greens party leader Christine Milne.