Australian Leader Visits Iraq Troops
Amid tight security, Prime Minister John Howard paid a surprise visit today to Australian troops serving in Iraq, his office said.
“The trip to Iraq is in recognition of the great sacrifice and contribution Australian personnel are making there in challenging conditions,” the office said.
It was Howard’s first visit to Iraq since he sent 2,000 troops to take part in last year’s invasion and then replaced them with 850 military personnel to help in the nation’s reconstruction.
Howard’s visit was for a dawn ceremony at Baghdad’s international airport to mark Anzac Day, which commemorates the involvement of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps in a World War I campaign on Turkey’s Gallipoli Peninsula.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
