Posted on 02/21/2005 6:47:00 PM PST by RWR8189
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - Australia will send 450 more troops to southern Iraq to help protect Japanese engineers and help bolster the country's fledgling democracy, Prime Minister John Howard announced Tuesday. The new detachment will include a cavalry squadron, infantry company and a team to train local forces, Howard told a news conference in Canberra.
Australia, a staunch U.S. ally, sent 2,000 troops to take part in the invasion of Iraq and still has nearly 900 troops in and around the country. Howard said it would take about 10 weeks for the new troops to prepare for their trip to Iraq and that they would likely stay there for a year.
"This has not been, is not and will not be an easy decision for the government; I know it will be unpopular with many," Howard said. The Australian troops will replace Dutch soldiers who had been serving in the al-Muthana province of southern Iraq but are scheduled to pull out by mid-March.
"I believe this is the right decision," Howard added. "It will make a significant contribution to the coalition effort; it will make a significant contribution to the rebuilding of Iraq."
Thanks, Mate, for this, as all we've been through together is yet leading to a better world.
It's good to see who our friends are.
The sacrifice that has been made by the folks down under...will not be forgotten!
Good news .
Thanks Australia .
They've been with us in WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq. The only nation to be at our side in each conflict. God Bless Australia!!!!!
Australia: 15 times more valuable than Canada!
(See, the Canucks just decided to send 30 "troops" to Iraq...divide 450 by 30, and there you go!)
Buy Aussie wine mates!
You're going to Cairns? I bet you're an expert on sunscreen. Are you heading out to the reef?
Roger that
THANK YOU!!
lol
Sounds great!
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