Australian troops end combat ops in Iraq

[unhappycamper]

Australian troops end combat ops in Iraq
By Tanalee Smith - The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Jun 1, 2008 11:54:37 EDT

SYDNEY, Australia — Australia, a staunch U.S. ally and one of the first countries to commit troops to the Iraq war five years ago, ended combat operations there Sunday, the Department of Defense said.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was swept into office in November largely on the promise that he would bring home the country’s 550 combat troops by the middle of 2008.

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

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 their country on Sunday afternoon.

“Our soldiers have worked tirelessly to ensure that local people in southern Iraq have the best possible chance to move on from their suffering under Saddam’s regime and, as a government we are extremely proud of their service,” Defense Minister Joel Fitzgibbon said.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/06/ap_australia_iraq_060108/