Australians End Combat Role In Iraq

Troops To Return Within Weeks, Fulfilling Campaign Pledge By Australia's New Prime Minister

(AP)  Australian troops in Iraq officially ended combat operations Sunday, the Department of Defense said, fulfilling a campaign promise of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

Troops held a ceremony that included lowering the Australian flag, which had flown over Camp Terendak in Talil, southern Iraq, a Department of Defense spokesperson said, speaking on condition of anonymity as required by the department.

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

But Rudd was swept to office last November on the promise to bring Australia's 550 combat troops home by the middle of this year.

Several hundred other troops will remain in Iraq to act as security and headquarters liaisons and to guard diplomats.

Australia will also leave behind two maritime surveillance aircraft and a warship to help patrol oil platforms in the Gulf.

Rudd said the Iraq deployment has made Australia more of a target for terrorism.

The soldiers and 65 army trainers were stationed at Talil, about 185 miles south of Baghdad, and were responsible for providing security training for Iraqi forces, as well as reconstruction and aid work. They were also on standby to offer backup to Iraqi forces in the south for the past two years.

In February, the head of Australia's defense force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, told a Senate inquiry that the troops were no longer needed in Iraq.

The combat troops were expected to return home over the next few weeks. Australian media reports said the first of the soldiers had already landed in the country Sunday afternoon.

Rudd remains committed to keeping Australia's 1,000 troops in Afghanistan.

[feelfree4u]

alohaone1,

Re: "...his grandchildren now think that getting rid of guy like Saddam is a bad thing.."

Many Iraqis were glad to be rid of Saddam, but most very clearly think that what we have delivered to them is worse.

No doubt, a lot of folks think that "getting rid of guy" like you would be a good thing.

Should we go for it?

We certainly have more than enough traitors in this country as it is, and from your writing, it appears that you have completely failed in your pledge to support our Constitution, if you are naturalized.

[alohaone1]

FeelFree4U ... if your ancestors are not Redskin Indians , you have no right of lecturing any one about immigrants...I bet your ancestors migrated over like the rest of us , running away from agressors and dictators , too bad , his grandchildren now think that getting rid of guy like Saddam is a bad thing . Just like Bush said , you guys still have not learn a thing about appeasement to the aggressors yet .. Good that your kind do not get to make the decision now and not in the near future ...about the Boot-licking thing , I have no interest and I think you are more qualified and better equipped to do it , so go ahead...It is a waste of time talking to idiots like you .

[feelfree4u]

alohaone1,

Re: "I grew up in Vietnam for your information..."

So you are a Vietnamese traitor as well as a US disgrace?

One more bit of evidence in favor of leaving the Iraqi collaborators in Iraq, to be dealt with as the Iraqi people see fit.

MCVet continues to serve his country, and in a very honorable way, and you could learn a lot from him. You do not appear even qualified to tongue-shine his boots.

[alohaone1]

Hey , MC VET , I give you credit for your service to the country , but you must be one of those Kerry''s friends who came home and betrayed their buddies in the war zone with your war protests . You did good as a soldier but too bad , your idiocy has wiped out what little goodness there was . I grew up in Vietnam for your information , my family have know personally the period the US was in Vietnam and it was not even close to the propaganda that the media was feeding your guys back then . The Vietnamese people , majority of them do not hate the US, the few protests that the news played over and over were those tricked by communist lies and thus protested against the US . Well, they all opened their eyes after the war , they all saw the promises the communists brought them ...You may have fought in Vietnam , but you do not have knowledge of both sides of the story , you were fed the stuffs that the Liberal US media wanted to feed you . If the US did not get involve , the whole Asia would have been communists and your sorry arse would be dragged in again like the debacle with Hitler in Europe . The US went in for its own benefit and then betrayed its ally and its troops to please the so-called peace-lovers clowns back home . Good thing that Bush is in charge now , NOT traitors like Kerry and coward like CArter ..I am looking forward to cast my vote for Mc Cain....ha ha ha ,...it feels goooooddddddddd.

[feelfree4u]

Re: "Australia, hang your head in shame."

Posted by FeelFreee4U at 03:36 PM

Micheal Totten,

First you hide your cowardice and blind, ignorant hatred behind our military. Now you try to hide it behind me.

If you had any balls, you would join the fight.

You won''t, ''cuz you don''t.

Fortunately, the parasitic, rogue, terror/welfare-State of Israel is spinning and plunging down the toilet, so all is not lost from this campaign of craven stupidity that you so strongly support.

Michael Totten- craven, know-nothing, sniveling worm.

[dobbershome]

Later mates

[feelfreee4u]

Australia, hang your head in shame.
Appeasing the terrorists in your illusions of buying temporary peace from Jihadists is a receipe for disaster. You cannot hide from these scum, you can only stand and fight. Even if America is alone in this fight they will still be right to do it. With allies like you we don''t need enemies.

[petro49l]

Bin Laden and Zawahiri are indeed homosexuals and aberrations. They are a disease within modern society. Monsters like Al Qada should be shot as bizarre killers and rapists. There is no need for common trash. The Coalition needs to find a deep hole and sink the mud.

[quetzalcrist]

The United States is operating "floating prisons" to house those arrested in its war on terror, according to human rights lawyers, who claim there has been an attempt to conceal the numbers and whereabouts of detainees.

[mcvet]

The majority of US soldiers coming back from Vietnam felt betrayed by their own congress and their own people , do not make the same mistake twice.Support the troop , help them complish their mission and come home as Victorious WArriors , not as losers. yes , the Nazi were warriors too , but they are not free men ,no free press,the Nazi is like the communists. that is different than the US of A where even idiotic arm-chair generals can undermine REAL General on the battlefield like Gen. Petraeus....


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Posted by alohaone1 at 02:06 AM : Jun 03, 2008
+ report abuse

YOU are a LIAR! There''s no other way of putting it. This War is a manufactured FRAUD served upon this nation by a piece of trash you freaks still call a President. Iraq is like Vietnam, a LIE and that''s just the reality of it. Speaking of Vietnam and you LIE about it. How many years would have made you fascist happy? we were there 12, would 15 have done it? How many dead American''s? 75,000? 95,000? Well Sparky, as someone who actually fought with the RVN Army, I can tell you it would have made NO difference. That''s just REALITY. Now stand! Let Shooter and the Fuhrer know you''re out here licking boots today! SIEG HEIL BUSH!!

[mcvet]

Hey FeelFree4U, Bin Laden accepts his transexual self and the related surgery. Do the same thing and make the conversion. It would end your rambling schizophrenia.


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Posted by Petro49L at 07:31 AM : Jun 03, 2008
+ report abuse

Speaking of Bin Laden... I''ll give you even odds that he will die of OLD AGE before Bush or McSame catch the guy! Want to bet?? Sieg Heil Bush! Sieg Heil McSame

[petro49l]

Hey FeelFree4U, Bin Laden accepts his transexual self and the related surgery. Do the same thing and make the conversion. It would end your rambling schizophrenia.

[tootall10142]

The contract is filled time to go home.the shameful thing is there is no shame in pulling out if those people cant defend themselves by now why did all our young people die if we have to play babsitter to cowards and lazy morons, let allah come save thier a-- and bring them all home. KUDOS to the aussies.

[brianbwb-2009]

"Listen , the different between us and the Nazi is that the native people revolted against the Nazi as the war dragged out..." Posted by alohaone1

If that is the only difference you can glean, then you are still on the wrong side of the track.

Bottom line, Bush lied us there, the whole thing, and all the anarchy, death and destruction was totally unnecessary.

There is no difference between the Bush regime and the Nazis, both lied, both attacked more than one country, both are mass murdering Semites.

Your so-called difference is inconsequential, and still no justification for going to war on the basis of Bush''s lies.

[alohaone1]

you liberals crack me up big time while pretending that you know some history .Listen , the different between us and the Nazi is that the native people revolted against the Nazi as the war dragged out , with us , even the Iraqis are helping us right now , don''t you know that our favorable ratings with the Iraqis have actually gone up recently . At first , they hated us , they were tricked by the Al-Qaida terrorists , but now , they actually banded together to help us , why , because peole are not stupid , they may be mistaken at first , but they will eventually realize the real things .So , while the Nazi looted and murdered , the US soldiers helped , built and locked up the murderers .That is the REAL different .Ask the majority of guys who have done tour in Iraq recently and you will have the answer .Do yourselves and your country a favor , do not stab your soldiers in the back while they risk their lives on the battlefield the way you did with Vietnam .The majority of US soldiers coming back from Vietnam felt betrayed by their own congress and their own people , do not make the same mistake twice.Support the troop , help them complish their mission and come home as Victorious WArriors , not as losers. yes , the Nazi were warriors too , but they are not free men ,no free press,the Nazi is like the communists. that is different than the US of A where even idiotic arm-chair generals can undermine REAL General on the battlefield like Gen. Petraeus....

[feelfree4u]

Re: "I hope we bomb all the Muslims back to the Stone Age. Bunch of know-nothing primitive freaks with rags on their heads. Kill them all, and now."

Posted by FeelFreee4U

Mr. Totten,

Are you still trying to attribute your screeching cowardice to me?

I suspect that this is how you really feel, but are far to craven to actually say it.

Michael Totten- bloodthirsty craven eunuch extrordinare.

[feelfreee4u]

I hope we bomb all the Muslims back to the Stone Age. Bunch of know-nothing primitive freaks with rags on their heads. Kill them all, and now.

[feelfree4u]

alohaone1,

RE: "WArriors don''t run, we stay , we fight , we make things better , we WIN..."

The Nazis were warriors. They waged a criminal war of aggression too. They did not "WIN" and many of their top leaders were tried and hanged.

As long as we remain in Iraq and Afghanistan, we are guaranteed to lose, except for the handful of us that are profiting from these disgraceful and self-defeating abominations.

[alohaone1]

you liberals sure have a way to blind yourselves when you want ...Have you guys been hearing the news lately , from the same liberal media outlets that has shown so much misinformation about what really going on in Iraq , even them can not blind themselvers any longer , things are much, much better in Iraq now compare to just year ago or before the Surge . If the Pres. listened to your stupid idea about cut and run and give in to the terrorists , we would have been weeping hard nationally right now , but NO, Iraq is not even Front and Center in the Presidential debates nowadays , people do not rate it as the most pressing issue nowadays , why the HeCk you think that is , huh???YOU hardly hear about mass secterian executions nowadays and even the Iraqi see that and begin to support us against the Al-Qaida guys , but NO, you liberals rather we lost and ran with tails between our legs, but we CAN NOT DO THAT , WArriors don''t run, we stay , we fight , we make things better , we WIN and then we gradually pull-back with full HONOR AND VICTORY ...why , because we are AMERICANS....

[ajaxtheleast]

You''re right! Big daddy buttstrut IS

bowl-legged. Probably the ponderous

weight of an impenetrably thick scull.


I SEE THE RACOON HUNTERS OF AMERICA

TOOK TIME OFF TONIGHT TO LEND THEIR

SUPPORT TO HIS IRAQI "CAUSE".


Not often do we get to see

the public chronacling of a

human being''s thinking practice

session directly onto

a comment board.