Singapore is to send soldiers, planes and ships to Iraq as part of the US-led peacekeeping operation, announced Prime Minister Tong on 22 October. Although the Defence Ministry would not confirm the size of the force being sent, it did say that a contingent of Hercules transport planes and landing ship tanks would form part of the deployment. Singapore added that the force would be 'a sizeable contingent with heavy equipment'. President Tong is a strong ally of Washington, and the announcement came soon after a meeting between US President Bush and Tong in Singapore. During his short visit, Bush also spoke to government officials on a wide range of issues including the war against terrorism, the situation in Iraq, regional security and stability, and responses to emerging diseases.