Australia to plan troop withdrawal from Iraq

[Gloria]

http://www.abc.net.au/ra/news/stories/s1374981.htm


Last Updated 23/05/2005, 22:25:18

Australian troops could have a timetable for their withdrawal from Iraq within six to eight months.

The defence chief, General Peter Cosgrove, says a date for withdrawal of the 450 troops from southern Al Muthanna province could be known by early 2006.

He says Iraqi soldiers may be able to take over soon.

"We are encouraged by the signs of the maturing Iraqi security forces in the al Muthanna province," he said.

SNIP

The Australian government says the troops will stay in Iraq until their work is completed.

At the weekend, the defence minister, Robert Hill, said Australia hoped to withdraw its 900-strong contingent from Iraq within a year.

In addition to the Al Muthanna deployment, about 450 Australian troops are serving in and around the capital, Baghdad.

more

[XemaSab]

1. What about POLAND?

n/t

[Lochloosa]

2. lol....beat me to it....

:toast:

[rodeodance]

4. they "hope"---well Howie---keep your hope high

[LynnTheDem]

3. WHOPPER alert! "He says Iraqi soldiers may be able to take over soon."

Guess he didn't hear what the US Generals just said about that.

US generals say Iraq outlook 'bleak'

The Washington Times also notes that the "somber public acknowledgement by senior Army officers this week is likely to come as a cold shock to the US public and to hawkish media commentators" who had assumed that the recent election of an Iraqi government would declaw the insurency.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0520/dailyUpdate.html

And to the Australian government, apparently.

:eyes:

Also from US Generals last week:

-Gen. John P. Abizaid, the top American officer in the Middle East, said in a briefing in Washington that one problem was the disappointing progress in developing Iraqi police units...

-In Baghdad, a senior officer said Wednesday in a background briefing that the 21 car bombings in Baghdad so far this month almost matched the total of 25 in all of last year.

-"I think that this could still fail," the officer said at the briefing, referring to the American enterprise in Iraq.

-...recent polls conducted by Baghdad University had shown (Iraqi) confidence (of the new Iraq "government") flagging sharply, to 45 percent, down from an 85 percent rating immediately after the election.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/19/international/middleeast/19iraq.html?hp&ex=1116561600&en=49f1e36f402e0bd0&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[EFerrari]

5. If this WHOPPER get's them out of there, let them eat it. n/t

[Zerex71]

6. Coalition of the Dwindling

[Rainscents]

7. Right on Aussie!!!

Let the Bush fight this shit alone!

[daleo]

8. They could have a date by which time a plan might be tentatively devised.

Maybe.