Australain troops begin Iraq withdrawl (1 Viewer)

[chicky_pie]

AUSTRALIAN combat troops have begun withdrawing from Iraq, fulfilling an election promise by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to bring the soldiers home this year.

The soldiers from Overwatch Battle Group (West) 4 had been based at the Tallil air base, 300km south of Baghdad, and were responsible for providing security overwatch for Iraq security forces, as well as reconstruction and aid work.

A British military spokesman in the southern city of Basra said today the pullout from Talil base in Nassiriya was under way, but a spokesman for the governor of Dhi Qar province said it had been completed, with US forces replacing the Australians.

"The Australian battle group is pulling out," the British military spokesman said.

There was no comment tonight from the Australian Defence Department and Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon.

Australia, a staunch US ally, was one of the first countries to commit troops to the Iraq war five years ago.

In addition to the combat troops, it also deployed aircraft and warships to the Gulf to protect Iraq's offshore oil platforms.

Since handing over security of Dhi Qar province to the Iraqis, the main role of the Australian battle group has been to train and support Iraqi forces.

Mr Rudd, who ousted John Howard's coalition government after 12 years at last November's election, had promised to bring home frontline troops this year.

It was a stark contrast to Mr Howard's commitment to the war. During his prime ministership, Mr Howard repeatedly said the troops should stay until the job was done, arguing Labor's plan to "cut and run" from Iraq would galvanise terrorists.

Polls show 80 per cent of Australians oppose the war.

Australia defence chief, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, said in February that after the troops pulled out, Australia would leave behind two maritime surveillance aircraft and a warship helping patrol the oil platforms, as well as a small force of security and headquarters liaison troops.

The British military spokesman said Australian civilians training the police and advising the Iraqi government would also stay behind.

Preparations were made to pull out at the end of the troop's current six-month rotation in the middle of the year, and Britain and the US were informed.

Last week, British Defence Secretary Des Browne said Britain had planned accordingly for an Australian drawdown of troops.

"As it turns out, where they are working in Iraq is in an advanced stage of its own independence in terms of providing its own security," he said in a speech at the National Press Club in Canberra last week.

"Coincidentally, it was probably about time they were coming out of Tallil anyway so it works out in a way that suits all of us."

Britain still has about 4000 troops in southern Iraq.

He said then that Britain was grateful to the people of Australia and to the troops for their "magnificent" contribution to Iraq.

In April, US Ambassador to Australia Robert McCallum said Washington harboured no hard feelings over the Labor government's decision to pull Australian combat troops out of Iraq.

No Australian has died in combat in Iraq.


http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23792609-2,00.html

Hmm looks like we're preparing a war against Iran soon, lol.

 

[JaredR]

This is an act of betrayal against the people of Iraq whom the nation of Australia assisted in destabilising in the first place.

Being opposed to the war is not synonymous with being in support of a withdrawl of troops.

 

[Iron]

In the proud tradition of Australian retreating.
We forget.

And sign up or shut up Jared

 

[JaredR]

What a stupid argument Iron. It seems to be your own tradition to bait people to lead otherwise civil discussions into a state of dissaray. It's very immature.

 

[chicky_pie]

Oh shit I spelt my own country wrong, ooops.

 

[blakegman]

What a stupid argument Iron. It seems to be your own tradition to bait people to lead otherwise civil discussions into a state of dissaray. It's very immature.

Have to agree with Iron. If you care so much about Iraq go over and fight there yourself. Not our soldiers jobs to clean up the governments shit decisions.

 

[boris]

lol @ Jared R..

Draft dodger.

 

[wuddie]

love to see other countries follow suit.

 

[Zrap]

Oh shit I spelt my own country wrong, ooops.

=30 UAI

 

[TacoTerrorist]

Jared is too busy forcing Aboriginals to clean his gold-plated house built by the slave labour of limbless Palestinian children. Jew.

 

[chicky_pie]

=30 UAI

 

[PrinceHarry]

so 1000 soldiers in Iraq put a strain on Australian Defence capability? PATHETIC!

Australian cowardice at its best ! Well done diggers. I am not surprised soldiers from other countries despised you!

 

[Iron]

Yeah, sorry. This is huge. Doesnt look like it got much attention in the states (well, according to Drudge anyway)

It's difficult. Looks like it's improving, but could have something to do with the inexperienced Obama's massive, solid and rising support, that will ensure premature evacuation

 

[flappinghippo]

What was wrong with Australian troops in Iraq? I don't do much reading on the subject, however what I did pick up was that they were a good counterpoint and mediator to the American troops in Iraqi eyes (I think this was from an SMH article on an Australian commander), because the Americans tended to keep to themselves and made little effort to communicate with the locals. The Australians were helping a lot, mingling with locals, aiding communication between the occupiers and residents, and in one case, even learned on the job to run the water board, overseeing the supply of water to some city.

Rudd sure is going the whole ten yards with the I'm-not-howard-for-serious symbolism.

premature evacuation

Oh god, that's brilliant. I tip my hat to you

 

[Serius]

Oh shit I spelt my own country wrong, ooops.

Yeah its spelled "straya"

i dont support this early withdrawal, if anything we should have ramped up our commitment, i would like to see iraq democratised, stabalised and pumping out cheap oil quickly.

 

[Jess007]

theyve been there for 5 years i think thats long enough and i think the iraq govt. should of come up with their own laws and a better system. im glad our soldiers are out. i watched the news and got a bit teary watching the dads, in some cases mums returning to their little kids and wives.

i think this is the only good thing KRudd has done TBH.

 

[Serius]

Early?

So when would be a more appropriate time? 10 years? 20 years?

I am going to take a line from 3d realms and say "when the job is done"

I am not a military expert and i cant say how long that takes, it could very well take 10 years[i doubt 20 though, that seems really excessive]. i like the idea of having Australian bases in the middle east, it gives us somewhere to work from should we need to secure some oil. A stable, democratic, friendly country in the middle east is a huge positive, its in everyones best interest to keep it like that, so i would like to see the country stabalised as much as possible before we withdraw.

 

[JaredR]

Jared is too busy forcing Aboriginals to clean his gold-plated house built by the slave labour of limbless Palestinian children. Jew.

1) My house is not gold-plated
2) Our cleaners are filipinos.
3) They don't clean the outside of our house.
4) Palestinians should stop blowing their own children up.
5) The End.