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US military base to be built in Geraldton, WA

From the Newswire: Thursday, February 15, 2007 - The United States military will build a new spy base at Geraldton in Western Australia. Defence Minister Brendan Nelson has agreed to host a ground station for a new US military satellite communications system. The plans for the base come after three years of covert negotiations between Washington and Canberra. The new US base will be built at the existing Australian defence facility at Geraldton and will be used by the Americans to monitor regions like the Middle East. It would be similar to the Pine Gap joint military facility in the Northern Territory. Let Nelson know what YOU think: brendannelson.com.au/contact_def.asp Dr Nelson says the details of the agreement will be finalised soon. He said the Government has full knowledge of the functions and purpose of the base. He said negotiations began in 2003 and were continuing and would be made public once the details were finalised. More ground stations could be built at other locations in Australia, Dr Nelson said. The new US communications base will be the first since the controversial Pine Gap spy base began operating in the Northern Territory over 20 years ago. The base will be a key component of a system carrying orders and intelligence to US and allied troops in the field. WA Greens Senator Rachel Siewert says establishing the new base is a dangerous move. "It puts a threat on Perth's doorstep and certainly on Geraldton's doorstep," she said. READ More. Democrats Senator Natasha Stott Despoja is also wary. "I'm sure it suits the Government's purposes, I'm not sure how the Australian population will think though," she said. The deal further entrenches Australia's military relationship with the United States. Visiting fellow at the Australian Defence Force Academy Philip Dorling said that once the base was operating, it would be almost impossible for Australia to be fully neutral or stand back from any war in which the US was involved. READ MORE/Comment...

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