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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Australia ends Iraq combat role | Australia ends Iraq combat role |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Australia, one of the first countries to commit troops to the war in Iraq five years ago, has ended its combat operations there. | Australia, one of the first countries to commit troops to the war in Iraq five years ago, has ended its combat operations there. |
| Australian troops are due to begin returning home in a few days in line with a promise by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd who swept to power in November. | Australian troops are due to begin returning home in a few days in line with a promise by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd who swept to power in November. |
| He said the previous government had abused intelligence information to justify joining the Iraq war. | |
| Australia's 500 troops in Iraq have helped to train 33,000 Iraqi soldiers. | |
| In parliament on Monday, Mr Rudd said his predecessor, John Howard, had been wrong to join the war in Iraq. | |
| "Of most concern to this government was the manner in which the decision to go to war was made: the abuse of intelligence information, a failure to disclose to the Australian people the qualified nature of that intelligence," Mr Rudd said. | |
| He added the public had not been told of a pre-war warning that an attack on Iraq would increase, not decrease, the terrorist threat to Australia. | |
| 'Extremely proud' | |
| About 300 Australians will remain inside Iraq on logistical and air surveillance duties. | About 300 Australians will remain inside Iraq on logistical and air surveillance duties. |
| No Australian soldiers were killed in combat in Iraq though several were wounded. | No Australian soldiers were killed in combat in Iraq though several were wounded. |
| Mr Howard has defended his decision to send in troops in 2003. | |
| "I firmly believe it was the right thing to have done," he told the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper. | "I firmly believe it was the right thing to have done," he told the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper. |
| He added the cost of the war had been "very, very heavy and much greater than anybody would have liked". | |
| Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon said the Australian mission had been a success. | Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon said the Australian mission had been a success. |
| "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," he said in a statement on Sunday. | "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," he said in a statement on Sunday. |
| He singled out the Australian contribution to the Iraqi army's Counter Insurgency Academy as a "lasting legacy". | He singled out the Australian contribution to the Iraqi army's Counter Insurgency Academy as a "lasting legacy". |
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| Australian troops lower their flag in the Iraqi city of Talil | Australian troops lower their flag in the Iraqi city of Talil |