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, a Defense Department official said.Another big member of the 'Coalition of the Willing' is pulling out and going home.
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.
The 'Aussies' really put their 'all' into helping us out in Iraq over these last perilous five plus years having lost two whole casualties, which is half as many as Slovakia but twice as many as Kazakhstan.
No word yet from Gen. Petraeus on if the U.S. will be able to go on without the Australians.
Stay tuned.
