Australia offers military support to U.S.

Howard says Australia must stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the U.S.

By CNN's Grant Holloway

SYDNEY, Australia (CNN) -- Australia may provide military support and back-up for any U.S. retaliation against those responsible for Tuesday's terrorist attacks.

In a visit to the U.S. Congress Wednesday, Prime Minister John Howard told senators and representatives Australia would provide "all support that might be requested of us by the United States in relation to any action that might be taken".

The pledge of assistance received bi-partisan political support in Australia, with Opposition leader Kim Beazley saying the terrorist attacks were acts of war.

"When they (the US authorities) have proof then they will act and we would support that action," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Australia and the U.S. this year marked the 50th anniversary of their close military alliance embodied in the ANZUS treaty.

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The prime minister told media Australia had not yet been asked to provide any military assistance by the U.S. and would not be drawn on the type of help that could be provided.

"I am not going to hypothesize, I am simply going to state the principle that we will render all the assistance we can within our capability," he said.

We haven't been requested to provide any military assistance, but obviously if we were asked to help we would.

"It is very important at a time like this that America knows that she's got friends."

Importance of friendship

Australia provided naval support and more than 1,800 military personnel to the allied forces which fought the Gulf War in 1991.

Howard said he believed the U.S. had the right to take retaliatory action against the attacks.

"I certainly would not want innocent people made to suffer, but I certainly believe that what was done yesterday was an act of war against the United States and the Americans are entitled to, having properly identified those responsible, retaliate," Howard said.

Howard stressed the importance of Australia's friendship and alliance with the U.S., saying it was important countries such as Australia demonstrated their affinity and common beliefs.

"We have to accept that this is an occasion where we should stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Americans, because this is not just an assault on America, it's an assault on the way of life that we hold dear in common," Howard said.

"Just because you are big and strong doesn't mean that you can't feel lonely and you can't feel that your heart has been ripped out. " And I think that is very important, therefore, that Americans know that they have got some really good, reliable friends."

Joint satellite facility

Earlier the year the Howard government angered some major trading partners such as China because of its support for the Bush Administration's missile shield defense project.

Australia and the U.S. also jointly run a defense satellite tracking facility in Australia called Pine Gap which possibly could be used as part of any missile shield system.

Prime minister Howard is now en route back to Australia having cut short his trip to the U.S.

Howard and his official entourage left Washington's Andrews Air Force Base Wednesday afternoon aboard a U.S. military jet bound for Hawaii.

He will then return to Australia by commercial jet.

Three Australians have been confirmed killed in the attacks but 74 more people are still unaccounted for.