The Command Post - Iraq - Australia to Bring Iraq Troops Home in May

April 16, 2003

Australia to Bring Iraq Troops Home in May

Australian troops will start leaving the Gulf in May to head home now that the war against Iraq is drawing to a close, Prime Minister John Howard said on Thursday.

Australia, a staunch U.S. ally, sent 2,000 military personnel including elite SAS troops, jet fighters and three warships to join U.S. and British forces in the war against Iraq to force Saddam Hussein to hand over alleged weapons of mass destruction.

Posted By Alan at April 16, 2003 09:25 PM | TrackBack

Comment Policy and Decency Standards
: The comments here serve as an open forum in which you are encouraged to debate, discuss and post relevant links. It is Command Post policy that we will not tolerate any racial or ethnic slurs or obvious attempts to bait other guests of this site into a battle. We provide you the space here to discuss the topic at hand and to engage in lively discourse. Please remember that your IP is logged every time you leave a comment and the editors of Command Post reserve the right to terminate you ability to comment here if you do not conform to our commenting policy. Thank you.

Well I know this will piss the Aussies off but here goes.....shit you guys came to dinner killed a few hundred iraqis and now your leaveing? shit you guys could stayaround and at least help wash the dishes?.......lol

Posted by: aby normal at April 16, 2003 09:29 PM

now all jokeing aside { i think its funny} THANKS GUYS.....WE OWE YOU ONE.........

Posted by: aby normal at April 16, 2003 09:31 PM

It's to cold in iraq for them, besides, it's roo hunting season, they got to get home

Posted by: James at April 16, 2003 10:17 PM

You were warned, Aby, but no, you said: "Let them drink Budweiser" and now you're surprised they are going home.
I TOLD you we had to order some FOSTERS!!!!

Posted by: edwardvt at April 16, 2003 10:20 PM

"Time to leave, Tonto. Our work here is done."

Note that although we're withdrawing the FA-18s (nothing left to bomb) and the Mine Clearance team (all mines cleared), and the SAS (all snakes eaten), we're sending in construction teams, medical teams, and air traffic controllers. It's still open as to whether we send in some Federal Police.
Weapons inspectors and Our BioWar/ChemWar/NukeWar recon and decontamination teams will remain for a while, as will some Herks.

Also remember we have the largest islamic country in the world next door, and are currently engaged in "cleaning up the mess" in East Timor, a place where the infrastucture was FAR worse hit than Iraq's. Oh yes, and supporting operations in Afghanistan.

Posted by: Alan E Brain at April 16, 2003 10:23 PM

Australia knows who its mates are.

And tries to return past favours.

How many US Navy and troops helped defend OZ in WW2, when the Japanese were just an island-hop away. US lives were on the line, defending Darwin and OZ .

Quite apart from Aussie troops being comrades with Brit and (when they finally turned up!) American troops.

America stated its arguments, its case, and its intentions. Decent countries, after all the diplomacy-shuffle, just followed the call of our main ally.

Posted by: JohninLondona at April 16, 2003 10:29 PM

E brain,
I hate E timor, should just nuke the place. I was on tour there during the uprizing, some muslim bastard shot me, I shot him back, blew his nutz off, no more little mohammeds for him

Posted by: James at April 16, 2003 10:36 PM

All snakes eaten. Gotta remember that one.

With estimated costs for the war coming to around US$2 billion, Australia has definitely contributed equally in proportion to its population.

Posted by: Dan Hartung at April 17, 2003 12:40 AM

Some of us Australians still remember how the US helped our country in World War II.

Posted by: indolering at April 17, 2003 05:21 AM

Ya gotta love the Aussies.

Posted by: Elvis at April 17, 2003 05:43 AM