Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands
Australia is leading an international force of 2,000 troops to the Solomon Islands this week to try to restore order in the increasingly lawless country. Ever since a coup three years ago, rival militias and armed gangs have roamed the archipelago, terrorizing the population. The Solomons government requested Australia’s intervention, which has been dubbed Operation Helping Hand. Australian Prime Minister John Howard said the move was in Australia’s interest because the Solomons could otherwise end up like the Pacific island nation of Nauru: a haven for terrorists, drug runners, and money launderers. The Solomons campaign marks Australia’s largest military venture in the Pacific since World War II. The Aussies also have 1,000 troops stationed in Iraq and 900 peacekeepers in East Timor.
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