Abbott government pushed for US airstrikes request: report
Prime Minister Tony Abbott. (AAP) AAP
The Abbott government reportedly pushed the US to ask Australia to expand its air strikes against Islamic State jihadists to Syria, according to Fairfax Media.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott confirmed yesterday that US President Barack Obama had asked him to consider expanding Australian air strikes from Iraq to Syria some weeks ago.
"I had a request from President Obama some weeks ago to consider strikes into Syria," Mr Abbott said.
"After that, I asked our military officials to talk to the Pentagon and in the wake of those conversations, a formal request for Australian involvement in air strikes in Syria has come.
"We'll consider this and we'll make a decision in the next week or so."
Fairfax Media, quoting senior government sources, reports that the driving force for the formal request for the RAAF to join the US air campaign in Syria actually came from Canberra.
The request is still being considered, with a decision expected within the next week.
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