Australia Announces Troop Withdrawal From Iraq

[babylonsister]

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/30518

Australia Announces Troop Withdrawal From Iraq
Submitted by davidswanson on Tue, 2008-01-29 14:55. Media

In a severe blow to US efforts to bring about stability in war-torn Iraq, Australia has announced its decision to withdraw its military troops from the country.

The announcement comes even as President George Bush in his last State of the Union address said that the al-Qaida is on the run in Iraq.

Australian Foreign Affairs Minister, Stephen Smith conveyed his country's decision to US secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary Robert Gates and Vice President Dick Cheney on his first official visit to Washington since Kevin Rudd Government's election last year.

"We came to office in November last year with our longstanding commitment that we would withdraw our combat troops from Iraq by the middle of this year," Smith said.

"I advised the Secretary of State that when the current rotation from the Overwatch Battle Group is completed in the course of the first half of this year, those troops will be withdrawn," he said.

"That's being done in consultation, not just with the US, but also with the UK and its being done in a way to minimize, to absolutely minimize any disruption or difficulty."

Australia has pledged to withdraw 550 combat troops from Iraq by June this year while reassuring its commitments to continue aid and help for the reconstruction work both in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[Lasher]

1. No big surprise, they elected themselves a Prime Minister.

Wish we had somebody just like him right now.

[thereismore]

2. I wish they had announced yesterday. nt

[xchrom]

3. ...

:applause: :applause: :applause:

[Johonny]

4. Oh crap

Australia just won the war in Iraq before us.