Australia boosts troops due to growing instability
Australia announced a A$10 billion ($7.6 billion) plan to increase the size of its army on Thursday so it could respond more quickly to emergencies caused by growing instability in small Asia-Pacific nations. Prime Minister John Howard said the army would seek an extra 2,600 troops, on top of the 1,500 extra forces announced earlier in the year, to provide two more battalions. Full Story