Australia joined a U.S.-led coalition in the Iraq War. Declassified documents reveal that the decision to go to war was taken primarily with a view to enhancing its alliance with the United States.[1]
The Howard government supported the disarmament of Iraq during the Iraq disarmament crisis. Australia later provided one of the four most substantial combat force contingents during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, under the operational codename Operation Falconer. Part of its contingent were among the first forces to enter Iraq after the official "execute" order.[2] The initial Australian force consisted of three Royal Australian Navy ships, a 500-strong special forces task group, two AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, two B707 Air-to-Air refuelling aircraft, C-130 Hercules transport aircraft and No. 75 Squadron RAAF (which included 14 F/A-18 Hornet fighters).[3] Combat forces committed to Operation Falconer for the 2003 Invasion were withdrawn during 2003. Under the name Operation Catalyst, Australian combat troops were redeployed to Iraq in 2005, however, and assumed responsibility for supporting Iraqi security forces in one of Iraq's southern provinces. These troops began withdrawing from Iraq on 1 June 2008 and were completely withdrawn by 28 July 2009.[4]
- ^ Wroe, David. "A pointless war". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
- ^ SAS Role in Iraq Revealed. The Sydney Morning Herald, 9 May 2003.
- ^ "The War in Iraq: ADF Operations in the Middle East in 2003" (PDF). Department of Defence. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
- ^ "Australia ends Iraq troop presence". Express.co.uk. 31 July 2009. Retrieved 28 December 2019.