Thank You Friends

Australia ended combat operations in Iraq last week. This action fulfills the new Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's promise that he would bring home the country's 550 combat troops by the middle of 2008. Australia is leaving a few hundred other troops behind in Iraq to act as security and to guard diplomats. In addition, a warship and a few Australian aircraft will remain to patrol in the Gulf. The Australian troop compliment was not huge to begin with, and U.S. and Iraqi forces will step in to fill the void. President Bush says that he understands Australia's reasons for withdrawing and praised them. Australia was one of the first Countries to commit troops to battle when the war in Iraq began. They are good friends to the United States and all Americans should be thankful for that friendship.