Last Australian soldiers leave Iraq, ending 11-year campaign

Date
    November 26, 2013


Australia ended its controversial military involvement in Iraq on Monday by withdrawing its remaining two military officers from the blood-soaked country.

The cost to Australia since the March 2003 invasion of Iraq - the most divisive and bitterly debated military mission since the Vietnam War - is estimated to have been more than $3 billion.      :(

What began as an attempt to find and destroy weapons of mass destruction - which turned out to no longer exist in Iraq - has since evolved in a continuing and bloody insurgency that only this month has reportedly killed 360 people.

Suicide bombings, roadside blasts, bombings at a market and a drive-by shooting took the lives of at least 27 people in Iraq on Monday, according to an Associated Press report.


Australia's involvement began in March 2003, when then prime minister John Howard agreed to a request from US president George W. Bush to send about 2000 troops to strike against Saddam Hussein's regime.

Australia withdrew most of its troops in mid-2008, when then prime minister Kevin Rudd declared "mission over".

However, a total of 11 Australian military officers have served since then with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) in a deployment known as Operation Riverbank.

The final two officers, both from the Australian Army, were Colonel Steve Saddington and Lieutenant-Colonel Brian Hawke. Both were withdrawn on Monday.

Chief of Joint Operations Lieutenant-General Ash Power said the officers' withdrawal and the end of Operation Riverbank was the final chapter in the Australian Defence Force's involvement in Iraq.

“The successful completion of Operation Riverbank represents the conclusion of the ADF's contribution to the international efforts in Iraq," General Power said.

"The withdrawal of these final two officers brings to a close what has been a significant commitment by the Australian Army and the ADF for more than a decade.”

Colonel Saddington was based in Baghdad, serving as senior military adviser to the special representative of the UN Secretary-General within UNAMI.

Colonel Hawke served his deployment in Kirkuk as a military adviser.

General Power said the withdrawal of the two officers was "an important step in our drawdown from the Middle East area of operations – the ADF will have no presence in Iraq and a very different presence in Afghanistan by the end of 2013”.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott recently visited Afghanistan to confirm that most of Australia's troops there would return to Australia by Christmas.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/last-australian-soldiers-leave-iraq-ending-11year-campaign-20131126-2y7bz.html#ixzz2loH3vdSH

The leftists think we should have continued forever with enforcing the No fly zones in the North to protect the kurds and the no fly zones in the south to protect the shiites from Saddam.

So why were there no American troops killed for over a week after the Saddam statues were torn down, did the Iraqi's start attacking the troops when the religious nutjobs called Ayatollah's said Allah orders them to attack the troops?

wrote on Nov 27^th, 2013 at 12:44pm:

The cost to Australia since the March 2003 invasion of Iraq - the most divisive and bitterly debated military mission since the Vietnam War - is estimated to have been more than $3 billion.      :(

To put that into context, Australias spend about 1.3 trillion dollars in welfare payments over the same period to people who achieve less than fvckall

Well done Australia, pack of whingers

Baronvonrort wrote on Nov 27^th, 2013 at 12:48pm:

So why were there no American troops killed for over a week after the Saddam statues were torn down, did the Iraqi's start attacking the troops when the religious nutjobs called Ayatollah's said Allah orders them to attack the troops?

Firstly, stupid logic as always Baron.

Secondly you are wrong. This is a list of the US soldiers killed by hostile fire in the 7 days after the statues were toppled on April 9.


Quote:

4-12-2003      US      Owens Jr., David Edward      Lance Corporal      20      Hostile - hostile fire      Baghdad      Baghdad      U.S. Marine      Virginia      Winchester      3rd BN, 5th Marine REG, 1st Marine Division      Camp Pendleton, CA 4-12-2003      US      Gonzalez, Jesus Angel      Corporal      22      Hostile - hostile fire      Baghdad      Baghdad      U.S. Marine      California      Indio      1st Tank BN, 1st Marine Division      Twentynine Palms, CA 4-11-2003      US      Tejeda, Riayan Augusto      Staff Sergeant      26      Hostile - hostile fire - ambush      Baghdad      Baghdad      U.S. Marine      New York      New York      3rd BN, 5th Marine REG      Camp Pendleton, CA 4-10-2003      US      Hemingway, Terry Wayne      Staff Sergeant      39      Hostile - hostile fire - suicide bomber      Baghdad      Baghdad      U.S. Army      New Jersey      Willingboro      C Company, 1st BN, 15th INF REG      Fort Benning, GA 4-10-2003      US      Bohr Jr., Jeffrey Edward      Gunnery Sergeant      39      Hostile - hostile fire      Baghdad      Baghdad      U.S. Marine      Iowa      Ossian 4-14-2003      US      Mileo, Jason David      Corporal      20      Hostile - friendly fire      Baghdad      Baghdad      U.S. Marine      Maryland

http://icasualties.org/Iraq/Fatalities.aspx

Worth remembering we removed a tyrant who gassed his own people in the north, imprisoned and executed men, women and children and starved the Shias in the South.

Those against us taking action, have a thought a about what you advocated to leave in place.

"Would I take the same decision again?
Yes absolutely"
Tony Blair.

BigOl64 wrote on Nov 27^th, 2013 at 1:54pm:

wrote on Nov 27th, 2013 at 12:44pm: The cost to Australia since the March 2003 invasion of Iraq - the most divisive and bitterly debated military mission since the Vietnam War - is estimated to have been more than $3 billion.      :( To put that into context, Australias spend about 1.3 trillion dollars in welfare payments over the same period to people who achieve less than fvckall

However, they're not brainwashed, expendable pawns who kill people.

I know where I'd rather see my tax dollars go.

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Nov 27^th, 2013 at 5:16pm:

Worth remembering we removed a tyrant who gassed his own people in the north, imprisoned and executed men, women and children and starved the Shias in the South. Those against us taking action, have a thought a about what you advocated to leave in place. "Would I take the same decision again? Yes absolutely" Tony Blair.

Tyrants are my enemies too.


http://freethoughtblogs.com/carrier/files/2012/01/obamatyrant1.jpg

greggerypeccary wrote on Nov 27^th, 2013 at 5:18pm:

BigOl64 wrote on Nov 27th, 2013 at 1:54pm: wrote on Nov 27th, 2013 at 12:44pm: The cost to Australia since the March 2003 invasion of Iraq - the most divisive and bitterly debated military mission since the Vietnam War - is estimated to have been more than $3 billion.      :( To put that into context, Australias spend about 1.3 trillion dollars in welfare payments over the same period to people who achieve less than fvckall However, they're not brainwashed, expendable pawns who kill people. I know where I'd rather see my tax dollars go.

Yeah good one idiot, well worth the effort you put in on this one.

Back to the school yard little boy.

The war wasn't illegal

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Nov 27^th, 2013 at 5:27pm:

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Nov 27th, 2013 at 5:16pm: Worth remembering we removed a tyrant who gassed his own people in the north, imprisoned and executed men, women and children and starved the Shias in the South. Those against us taking action, have a thought a about what you advocated to leave in place. "Would I take the same decision again? Yes absolutely" Tony Blair. Tyrants are my enemies too. http://freethoughtblogs.com/carrier/files/2012/01/obamatyrant1.jpg

That's strange on his election day, one of the two of us was celebrating.

So given it wasn't me, who does that leave?

Or have you done a 180 reversal??

BigOl64 wrote on Nov 27^th, 2013 at 6:03pm:

greggerypeccary wrote on Nov 27th, 2013 at 5:18pm: BigOl64 wrote on Nov 27th, 2013 at 1:54pm: wrote on Nov 27th, 2013 at 12:44pm: The cost to Australia since the March 2003 invasion of Iraq - the most divisive and bitterly debated military mission since the Vietnam War - is estimated to have been more than $3 billion.      :( To put that into context, Australias spend about 1.3 trillion dollars in welfare payments over the same period to people who achieve less than fvckall However, they're not brainwashed, expendable pawns who kill people. I know where I'd rather see my tax dollars go. Yeah good one.

Thank you.

For those who missed it:

However, they're not brainwashed, expendable pawns who kill people.

I know where I'd rather see my tax dollars go.

Cheers.

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Nov 27^th, 2013 at 5:16pm:

Worth remembering we removed a tyrant who gassed his own people in the north, imprisoned and executed men, women and children and starved the Shias in the South. Those against us taking action, have a thought a about what you advocated to leave in place. "Would I take the same decision again? Yes absolutely" Tony Blair.

FFS, Boer, do you think Blair would admit that the most important decision he made while UK PM was wrong? Not even you can be that naive.

Thank God at last Australia has disentangled itself from the mess Bush made.

But when the Americans start yet another adventure, would Abbott have the balls to refuse them? I doubt it.

polite_gandalf wrote on Nov 27^th, 2013 at 2:54pm:

Baronvonrort wrote on Nov 27th, 2013 at 12:48pm: So why were there no American troops killed for over a week after the Saddam statues were torn down, did the Iraqi's start attacking the troops when the religious nutjobs called Ayatollah's said Allah orders them to attack the troops? Firstly, stupid logic as always Baron. Secondly you are wrong. This is a list of the US soldiers killed by hostile fire in the 7 days after the statues were toppled on April 9. Quote: 4-12-2003      US      Owens Jr., David Edward      Lance Corporal      20      Hostile - hostile fire      Baghdad      Baghdad      U.S. Marine      Virginia      Winchester      3rd BN, 5th Marine REG, 1st Marine Division      Camp Pendleton, CA 4-12-2003      US      Gonzalez, Jesus Angel      Corporal      22      Hostile - hostile fire      Baghdad      Baghdad      U.S. Marine      California      Indio      1st Tank BN, 1st Marine Division      Twentynine Palms, CA 4-11-2003      US      Tejeda, Riayan Augusto      Staff Sergeant      26      Hostile - hostile fire - ambush      Baghdad      Baghdad      U.S. Marine      New York      New York      3rd BN, 5th Marine REG      Camp Pendleton, CA 4-10-2003      US      Hemingway, Terry Wayne      Staff Sergeant      39      Hostile - hostile fire - suicide bomber      Baghdad      Baghdad      U.S. Army      New Jersey      Willingboro      C Company, 1st BN, 15th INF REG      Fort Benning, GA 4-10-2003      US      Bohr Jr., Jeffrey Edward      Gunnery Sergeant      39      Hostile - hostile fire      Baghdad      Baghdad      U.S. Marine      Iowa      Ossian 4-14-2003      US      Mileo, Jason David      Corporal      20      Hostile - friendly fire      Baghdad      Baghdad      U.S. Marine      Maryland http://icasualties.org/Iraq/Fatalities.aspx

When news travels the traditional Islamic way which is on the back of a camel or using carrier pidgeons the message takes a while to be delivered.

So how many deaths were there from 4/13/2003 to 4/24/2003 from hostile enemy was it zip zero zilch?

From 4/13/2003 to 5/12/2003 how many were killed by hostile Iraqis?

The religious nutjobs who preach Islam were responsible for hostile actions resuming.