House of Representatives Committees

Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade
Committee activities (inquiries and reports)

Visit to Australian Defence Forces Deployed to Support the Rehabilitation of Iraq

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Chapter 6 Delegation Observations from Baghdad

Background
Conduct of the Visit
The Iraqi Transitional National Assembly
Current Operations
Headquarters Joint Task Force 633 (JTF 633)
The Baghdad Security Detachment
Multi National Forces Command – Iraq (MNF-I)
Observations
Final Comments

Background

6.1

The delegation concluded its visit to Iraq with a day and a half in the capital, Baghdad. The delegation flew to Baghdad from Camp Smitty in Al Muthanna province with the assistance of the US Army, who provided three Blackhawk helicopters and a pair of escorting helicopter gunships.

6.2

The delegation flew direct to the centre of Baghdad to the International Zone (or as it is often called in the media the Baghdad Green Zone). The International Zone occupies the leadership and ceremonial district established by the former regime. It is home to several palaces, the former Baath Party Headquarters and the famous Rashid Hotel. It is now home to the Interim National Assembly and a number of the new Government Ministries as well as the new site of the US, British and Australian embassies.

6.3

In the immediate aftermath of the defeat of the former regime the Coalition Provisional Authority, under the charge of US Ambassador Paul Bremmer, made its base in one of the largest of Saddam Hussein’s ceremonial palaces. Since that time the institutions of the newly democratic nation have grown slowly from this site. The Australian embassy recently moved to a site close to the centre of the zone after being earlier located at the site of the former Australian Chancellery, in the Karada district outside the International Zone. This site became untenable when it was subject to attack by anti-coalition forces using a Vehicle Based Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED or car bomb). The new embassy is in a property formally owned by one of Hussein’s sons which was secured by ADF personnel in the immediate aftermath of combat operations.

 

Conduct of the Visit

6.4

The visit program in Baghdad was very full. It was conducted as follows:

 

The Iraqi Transitional National Assembly

6.5

After the Hussein Regime was deposed by the coalition in 2003, a governing council set up by the Coalition Provisional Authority signed an interim constitution for Iraq which called for the election of a transitional National Assembly no later than the end of January 2005. This Assembly was to draft a permanent constitution which would then be submitted to approval by the Iraqi people in a general referendum.

6.6

Elections for this transitional National Assembly took place on January 30, 2005. The United Iraqi Alliance (UIA) Party won 48% of the popular vote, resulting in 140 seats in the Assembly. Eighty-five members of the assembly are women.

6.7

Talks between the UIA and other parties to form a coalition government began soon after the election. The assembly had its first meeting on March 16, 2005. After weeks of negotiations between the dominant political parties, on April 4 2005, Sunni Arab Hajim al-Hassani was chosen as speaker; Shiite Hussain Shahristani and Kurd Aref Taifour were elected as his top deputies. The Assembly elected Jalal Talabani to head the Presidency Council on April 6, and approved the selection of Ibrahim al-Jaafari and his cabinet on April 28.

6.8

The delegation met with the Speaker, Mr Hajim al Hassani, at the Iraqi National Assembly in Baghdad. Mr al Hassani is a moderate Sunni Arab and relative outsider, having spent much of his life in the United States. He was identified as a compromise candidate for the speaker's post after weeks of deadlock between Iraqi political parties. Al-Hassani had previously been a member of the Iraqi Islamic Party in exile and was industry minister under the interim government of Iyad Allawi.

Figure 6.1 The Hon Mr Bruce Baird MP and Hon Warren Snowdon MP meet with members of the Iraqi Interim National Assembly in Baghdad

Figure 6.1 The Hon Mr Bruce Baird MP and Hon Warren Snowdon MP meet with members of the Iraqi Interim National Assembly in Baghdad
6.9

Mr al Hassani received the delegation for an extended meeting. Some of his observations were as follows:

 

Current Operations

Headquarters Joint Task Force 633 (JTF 633)

6.10

Headquarters Australian JTF 633 exercises National Command over Australian Defence Force maritime, land and air elements deployed in the Middle East.

6.11

ADF military operations are normally conducted by one or more JTFs. A JTF for a particular contingency will be assembled from ready forces to meet the specific needs of an operation. The size and composition of a JTF Headquarters will be influenced by such things as force composition, mission, political considerations, concurrent operations, geographic location and coalition partnering arrangements. The aim when determining the best structure must be to make the command chain as simple, unambiguous and unified as possible.

6.12

To ensure that commanders at various levels are given command and or control of assigned forces commensurate with their level of responsibility, the ADF uses ‘States of Command’ to assign authority. These States of Command describe the degree of authority which exists between headquarters in Australia, Joint Task Forces, Task Groups, and formations or units.

6.13

The Commander JTF 633, Commodore Geoff Ledger, has a number of command authorities over assigned forces. The delegation was briefed on the implications of three of these:

6.14

To exercise his National Command Commodore Ledger has a staff of approximately 60 personnel. The Headquarters is divided using the standard defence functions as follows:

6.15

The principal staff officers in each of these areas briefed delegates on their role and processes during a tour of the Headquarters. The J2 and J3, the principal operational staff officers, provided the delegation with classified briefings on their own impressions of the counter insurgency operation in Iraq and likely future scenarios.

 

The Baghdad Security Detachment

6.16

Australian diplomatic and military staffs in Baghdad are protected by the Baghdad Security Detachment (SECDET). SECDET has distinguished itself in the period since the end of conventional conflict. They have successfully protected the Australian Diplomatic staff from attack while facilitating the conduct of diplomatic operations. They have conducted many hundreds of foot and vehicle patrols through the city, earning the trust of the locals amongst whom they have lived.

Figure 6.2 Delegates pose with SECDET personnel and ASLAV under the ceremonial arch of the Hussein Regime victory parade in the International Zone, Baghdad

6.17

The detachment has been attacked at least twice. The first, a VBIED attack on an ASLAV patrol near the former Chancellery, wounded a number of soldiers and seriously wounded their commander, Lieutenant Callender. The second attack was a VBIED attack on the SECDET patrol base and accommodation facility next door to the Chancellery. A number of soldiers received relatively minor wounds in this attack but the building defences otherwise worked very well.

6.18

SECDET has recently relocated to the International Zone where it shares the former Baath Party Headquarters building with similarly tasked US units. SECDET is currently Commanded by Major Malcom Wells and its structure comprises the following elements

 

Multi National Forces Command – Iraq (MNF-I)

6.19

The delegation met with the Commander of all coalition forces in Iraq, US General (four star) George Casey. General Casey had discussions with the delegation in his office in the former Hussein Regime Palace known as the Al Faw Palace. The Palace, a massive, ornate facility was built by the former Regime to mark the occasion of its ‘victory’ over Iran on the Al Faw peninsular near Basrah. It has since been converted into one of the most sophisticated command and control facilities in the world.

6.20

MNF-I is a strategic level HQ, meaning General Casey’s task is to operate at the political – military interface. He is charged with supporting the emerging democratic process, the development of indigenous Iraqi Security Forces, and setting the broad military objectives for the fighting force commanders in the country. As the Australian National Commander in Iraq, Commander JTF633 interacts directly with General Casey.

6.21

MNF-I military operations are conducted through a standing US Army Corps Headquarters capable of commanding multiple Division sized organisations. To put this in some perspective the entire Australian regular Army combat component equates to a single reinforced Division. The US Corps HQ commands subordinate Divisions which are allocated responsibility for large portions of Iraq. Their responsibilities include security, training the new Iraqi security forces and administering large portions of the reconstruction program. The subordinate Divisions include the following:

Figure 6.3 Delegates view the entrance to the Al Faw Palace, a former Regime palace now home to General Casey’s Headquarters MNF-I

Figure 6.3 Delegates view the entrance to the Al Faw Palace, a former Regime palace now home to General Casey’s Headquarters MNF-I
6.22

General Casey spoke at length with the delegation. He explored a range of issues, including expanding on his recent testimony to the US Congressional Committees. Some of his main observations were as follows:

 

Observations

6.23

The delegation made the following observations in Baghdad;

 

Final Comments

6.24

The visit was a remarkable opportunity to meet with the soldiers, sailors and air men and women of the ADF involved in this most complex of military operations. The delegation is now able to better understand the nature of the operations in which they are engaged and to appreciate the circumstances and environment in which they are operating.

6.25

Although they are working in chaotic and frequently dangerous conditions and in an oppressive climate the members of the ADF are performing their duties with pride, commitment and professionalism. The members of the ADF from all three services are performing with distinction and attracting great credit to themselves, their service, the ADF and to Australia.

6.26

The visit was also an important opportunity to convey directly to all the personnel deployed to the Middle East, the bipartisan support of the Parliament for their performance under such demanding conditions. The service men and women are aware that differences of opinion exist in Australia about the merits of Australia’s involvement in operations in Iraq. These differences do not impact on the regard with which our service people are held by the majority of members of the Parliament and the Australian public.

Bruce Scott, MP

Delegation Leader



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