ADELAIDE DEFENCE, RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL NETWORK BEGINS

Adelaide, the Australian home of Star Wars, Halliburton, Global Hawk and the Joint Strike Fighter Project, has begun building a global-standard data transfer system that will allow local activities to be co-ordinated internationally.

Today's Adelaide Advertiser announces the commencement and construction of a major fibreoptic network, connencting defence, science and educational facilities at speeds enabling synchronisation with global projects.

SABRENet will cut the time to transfer a terabyte of data to just 17 minutes, compared with about three months using business broadband.

A terabyte is 1 trillion bytes.

Until now such large datasets, saved to portable hard disks, have been transported by plane or taxi between research institutions here and overseas.

The new network will enable supercomputer real-time simulations, multi-screen, high-definition video conferencing, redundant storage and disaster recovery of massive amounts of data, and will allow South Australian researchers to participate in bandwidth-enabled experiments around the globe.

The project is the result of almost three years of collaboration between the University of Adelaide, the University of South Australia, Flinders University, the State Government and the Defence, Science and Technology Organisation.

It is not known whether the U.S. Surveillance base at Pine Gap will be connected to the network.

WAR COMES TO ADELAIDE

As Adelaide residents gathered to protest the visit of U.S. Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, Foreign Minister Downer stated that Australian troops would stay in Iraq as long as necessary, while Defence Minister Hill declared a unified US/Australian policy to activities in the Middle East.

"For as long as we have a useful job to do, in particular in helping to train up the Iraqi security forces, we'll do the job," Mr Downer told reporters.

Australia, a strong ally of the United States, has about 1,300 military personnel in and around Iraq, including forces training the Iraqi military and 450 troops providing security for Japanese engineers in southern Al Muthanna province. "When the Iraqi security forces can do the job, it will be time to leave."

Rumsfeld and Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick will hold annual defence and security talks with Downer and Australian Defence Minister Robert Hill in Adelaide on Friday.
About 500 anti-war protesters staged a rally on the steps of the South Australian state parliament in the city, unable to get near Rumsfeld's hotel, which has been fortified with concrete barriers and a four-metre high fence provided by Halliburton.

Defence Minister Hill said, while Australia was likely to end its programme to train Iraqi forces by mid-2006, it would probably extend the Al Muthanna security deployment if Japan decided to extend its humanitarian mission well into next year. "The popular view is they (Japan) are likely to stay for some time yet, and I think they would probably ask for Australian security to help them fulfil their mission," Hill told reporters. Hill said there was "significant demand" for Australian air transport, security detachments for diplomats in Baghdad, and an Australian navy ship in the Persian Gulf. He added they were likely to remain deployed for some time.

Mr Downer said the talks would also review counter-terrorism in Australia and Southeast Asia, unrest in southern Thailand and concerns about militant groups in the Philippines. The talks are also set to touch on developments with Australian Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks, whose military commission trial was due to start this week but has been further delayed by challenges to the U.S. Supreme Court. Hicks, from Adelaide, has been accused of being an al Qaeda fighter, but has pleaded not guilty to charges of aiding the enemy, attempted murder and conspiracy to commit war crimes.

Mr Hill also said today that the US and Australian views on Iraq are "identical"

Mr Downer has also dismissed a videotaped al Qaeda threat to himself and Prime Minister John Howard over Australia's Iraq policy "It's not uncommon in these things for particular references to be made to leaders" he said

Reuters, ABC, Xinhua, The Australian

RUMSFELD CREATES ADELAIDE 'HIGH TERROR' CHANCE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA REFUSED PARLIAMENT HOUSE PROTEST

A planned Adelaide protest against U.S. Secretary of Defence has been cancelled by South Australian Authorities, and those gathering at Parliament House without permission wil be "moved on" by police.

Protest spokesman Mr Mike Khizan said in a media release tonight that " “Donald Rumsfeld, a man whom many millions of people around the world see as an international war criminal is coming to Adelaide, and in the name of ‘protecting’ him, free speech is being denied and the right to dissent attacked.”

Mr. Khizam argued that “it would be a betrayal of our responsibility to defend civil liberties to simply swallow this decision. If Parliament steps are barricaded off, we will rally as close to the site as possible, on the King William Street end of the barricades.”

The media release by Rice Rumsfeld Reception Committee also emphasised the fact that many people had already been notified of the Thurday 4.30 pm protest. It also claimed that Adelaide talkback radio participants have been warned on at least two occassions that if they say anything that may incite protest they will be taken of air

.Police have declared a "high" terror likelihood, following media reports that protesters are co nverging on the South Australian capital from all over the country.

The Adelaide trip was announced several months ago by Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer, and was planned to coincide with a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Condileeza Rice. Downer subsequently revealed that Dr Rice had cancelled her trip because "Leftists" were planning to protest.

According to the Adelaide Advertiser, police are preparing for the possibility of up to 10,000 protesters, and have stated that they will have little tolerance for unwanted activity. A police spokesman said today that Adelaide residents should not go near the blockaded area unless they had specific reason to do so.

Mr Rumseld and the U.S. Deputy Secratary of State are meeting with Mr Downer and Australian Defence Minister Robert Hill fo an annual bi-national meeting of minsters known as Ausmin.

Mr Downer has previously stated that Adelaide was chosen as the location of the meeting "because I live there," and that he thought it would be nice to show off his home city.

Mr Rumsfeld is expected to dine on Thursday at the Stonyfell Winery Resaurant, situated next to a quarry at the face of the Adelaide Hills. Prostesters plan to gather at the location, about 14 minutes from city centre, and to be located along the roadside.

Adelaide has strong commercial and defence ties with the U..S. It is the primary location for construction of Australia's contribution to the U.S. Missile Shield, and is the closest major city to an extimated 40% of the world's known uranium reserves. The city is the global headquarters for the Infrastructure Division of K.B.R, the subidary of Halliburton heavily involved supporting U.S. soldiers in Iraq and in the reconstruction of that countries oilfields, as well holding a contract for global support of U.S. military activities.

South Australia is expected, according to its Premier, to host Australian participation in the Global Hawk project, in which Unmanned Air Vehicles for survellance and combat vehicles are being created.

There is also speculation that the region will be a prime player in the U.S. Joint Strike Fighter Project

DONALD DUCKS DOWN UNDER

U.S. Secretary Of Defense Donald Rumsfeld will be in Adelaide from November 16-18, it is believed.

Secretary of the Rumsfeld Rice Reception Commitee Ms Jeannie Lucas says that venues for the visit will include the Adelaide Convention Centre and Town Hall.

Ms Lucas says that the information comes from a number of sources.

Mr Rumsfeld will be attending the joint meeting of Australian and U.S. Ministers, Ausmin.

His visit was originally intended to coincide with that of U.S. Secretary Of State Condileeza Rice.

According to Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Downer, Ms Rice cancelled her November visit because "Leftists" in Adelaide were planning to protest.

The No-War Coalition of South Australia are hosting a rally on the steps of Parliament House on Thursday November 16 at 4.30 pm. Other events are planned.