Australia willing to help US in Iraq air strikes

Canberra, Aug 28:

has expressed willingness to contribute its Super Hornet fighter jets to help

-led air strikes in Iraq.

Defence Minister David Johnston said on Wednesday night that Australia was ready to assist the US with air strikes targeting IS terrorists in Iraq, Xinhua reported.

Johnston said the Australian defence force started to develop its readiness after the emergence of "beheadings, mass executions, genocidal wiping out and ethnic cleansing."

He said the US was already carrying out air strikes in Iraq with the purpose of "preserving civilian lives."

"Now, if this situation continues, I think it's incumbent upon nations that have a strong, clear and understandable reputation and sense of right and wrong to do the right thing here and assist a stable Iraqi government if we can get one to defend itself and to retake and assert some reasonable level of legitimate control over these villages," he said.

IANS