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Calling all Aussies!


Stewy

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I'm back in America now.

If Dan had actually answered my PM when I sent it (which shouldn't have been hard, we were online at the same time :rolleyes: ), we might have met.

But as it is, I didn't get to hit him with a stick. That's probably the biggest disappointment of my trip. :D

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Check it out lads

Australia to send troops to Afghanistan

Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia — Australia will send 150 elite troops to Afghanistan by September to fight a growing tide of insurgent-led violence by remnants of the Taliban and al-Qaida, the prime minister said Wednesday.

The troops would comprise Special Air Service Regiment soldiers, commandos and support personnel, Prime Minister John Howard said.

"It's fair to say that the progress that's been made in the establishment of a legitimate government in Afghanistan has come under increasing attack and pressure from the Taliban in particular and some elements of al-Qaida," Howard told reporters.

"We have received at a military level requests from both the United States and others and also the government of Afghanistan and we have therefore decided ... to dispatch a special forces task group," he added.

The troops would be in place by September and remain for a year, he said.

The Australian defense department would also consider sending up to 200 troops as part of a reconstruction team to Afghanistan early next year, he said.

Australia sent about 1,500 military personnel, including 150 Special Air Service troops, to support the U.S.-led war that ousted the Taliban and al-Qaida forces in late 2001, but currently has only one soldier there. That soldier is involved in mine clearance.

Howard said the new deployment would have a separate Australian national command, although the task group would be under the operational control of U.S. forces.

"We think its important that the progress made in Afghanistan is preserved and consolidated and that the resurgence of violence and the resurgence of attempts by the Taliban to undermine the government of that country are not successful," he said.

The U.S.-trained Afghan army now numbers 26,000 and regularly fights alongside troops from the 20,000-strong U.S.-led coalition. A separate NATO-led force of 8,000 soldiers is responsible for security in Kabul and the country's north and west.

But the forces in Afghanistan are struggling to contain unprecedented fighting by insurgents that has left more than 700 people dead in three months and threatened to sabotage three years of progress toward peace. U.S. and Afghan officials have warned violence is likely to worsen before legislative elections in September.

Afghanistan's ambassador to Australia, Mahmoud Saikal, welcomed the new deployment, saying the Australian troops would help the elections run smoothly.

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good to see ya around mike, stickin around?

And yeah, big article in the paper about this. And for a change, they had a nice big article about how we kicked ###### last time, it was a good read.

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Yep I'll be about more often as I can now view GR.net again, the army locks sites form time to time and this was blocked for months. Also I have just completed our Army Command and Staff College course so I will have some more free time on my hands (ish anyways).

Canada is also sending a full up TF to Kandahar to kick ass and contribute to the PRTs out there. So hope fully our lads will get a chance to work together.

Hope all is well with you lads, what are you all up to now?

Mike

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im a very lazy man ronin, removing the bottom line of my sig, and lining up the stuff above was wwaayyy to hard compared to some deleteing and typing.

To quote bobby fuller and his four:

"i fought the law and the law won"

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Yep I'll be about more often as I can now view GR.net again, the army locks sites form time to time and this was blocked for months.  Also I have just completed our Army Command and Staff College course so I will have some more free time on my hands (ish anyways).

Canada is also sending a full up TF to Kandahar to kick ass and contribute to the PRTs out there.  So hope fully our lads will get a chance to work together.

Hope all is well with you lads, what are you all up to now?

Mike

Congrats on completing staff colllege mate. ;)

And good to see Gr.Net ain't blocked anymore for ya had it happen at my work here and there.

Good news re Cannucks sending a TF out to work in Ghan. And indeed be good to see the lads working together.

And yeah as Dan said VBS1 and more VBS, hope to see u there soon mate

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Strewth! Americanisms flush Aussie lingo down the dunny

By Nick Squires in Sydney

(Filed: 13/07/2005)

Australians fear that some of their most distinctive and irreverent expressions, idioms and slang words are being lost amidst a flood of imports from America.

Many younger Australians are now more likely to say "hi" than "g'day", and "vacation" rather than "holiday". "Bloke" and "mate", long regarded as quintessentially Aussie, are giving way to "dude" and even "bro".

The impact of American culture on "Strine" has been appreciable for years but the phenomenon is growing because of the internet, which allows people to pick up new words much more quickly than before.

During a radio debate, a listener noted that American euphemisms such as "washroom" and "restroom" were elbowing out "dunny" as the word for lavatory.

Australia absorbs Americanisms more readily than other English-speaking countries, linguists believe.

"It reflects the fact that we are still somewhat insecure about ourselves," said Roly Sussex, a professor of language studies at Queensland University.

The debate comes as Australia celebrates the 110th anniversary of its unofficial national anthem, Waltzing Matilda, the song about a "jolly swagman" who drowns in a billabong.

Richard Magoffin, an authority on the song, said the earthy Aussie language typified by the ballad was falling into disuse. "We don't want to turn into a little America," said Mr Magoffin.

The dominance of American shows on television means that Australians are increasingly using US English terms over their British English counterparts. "Trash can" is replacing "rubbish bin" and "elevator" is taking the place of "lift".

A study earlier this year by language experts from Macquarie University in Sydney reported that the Australian accent was softening and losing its distinctive twang.

But Bruce Moore, the director of the Australian National Dictionary Centre, believes that Australian English can withstand the American cultural onslaught.

He said: "We may lose a few words but we're also creating new ones: budgie-smugglers, for instance - a slang term for men's swimming trunks."

:o

That's too bad eh?

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well TBH if someone says 'washroom' 'sidewalk' 'trash can' 'truck' (if they are refering to a ute) 'pickup (truck)' etc near me i usually correct them, or slap them over the back of the head.

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This seems like it might be the best place to ask my question, sorry to bust in on your little cricket talk. I guess we're the only commonwealth country that wasn't afflicted by that hereditary sport :-)

Looking for some advice from Aussies on interesting sights to see on the Pacific Hwy between Newcastle and Brisbane. I'm long past due for a good road trip, and I've got a rental car and 5 days for 1700km :rocky:

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This seems like it might be the best place to ask my question, sorry to bust in on your little cricket talk.  I guess we're the only commonwealth country that wasn't afflicted by that hereditary sport :-)

Looking for some advice from Aussies on interesting sights to see on the Pacific Hwy between Newcastle and Brisbane.  I'm long past due for a good road trip, and I've got a rental car and 5 days for 1700km  :rocky:

Coffs Harbour

Port Macquarie

Byron bay

Good Site here mate ;)

http://www.holidaycoast.net.au/

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