AUSTRALIA: AUSTRALIA HAS STAGED A WELCOME HOME PARADE FOR ITS TROOPS RETURNING FROM THE WAR IN IRAQ

Record ID: 645967

  • Title: AUSTRALIA: AUSTRALIA HAS STAGED A WELCOME HOME PARADE FOR ITS TROOPS RETURNING FROM THE WAR IN IRAQ
  • Date: 18th June 2003
  • Summary: (U2) SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (JUNE 18, 2003) (REUTERS) SV HOWARD GREETS TROOPS Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 3rd July 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
  • Country: Australia
  • Topics: Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVA7TFKC8OSQIP5RPWWMALSXVYEI
  • Story Text: Australia has staged a welcome home parade for its troops returning from the war in Iraq, but its coalition partners Britain and the United States have baulked at the event fearing it would be insensitive to the Arab world.
    Thousands of office workers, burly hard hat construction teams and mothers with babies in prams lined Sydney's main thoroughfare George Street on Wednesday (June 18) , clapping and cheering as 1,400 sailors, soldiers and airmen and women marched passed.
    "Aussie, Aussie Aussie, Oi, Oi Oi" went the chant as one band played Australia's unofficial national anthem "Waltzing Matilda" and fighter jets roared overhead in a low fly pass.
    Australia was a minor partner in the coalition which toppled Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, sending 2,000 military personnel, including special forces, as well as fighter jets, aircraft transports and naval ships.
    Australian Prime Minister John Howard, one of the most vocal supporters of Washington's war in Iraq, cancelled parliament's question time for him and ministers to attend the Sydney march.
    "The war in Iraq...it was a miracle that nobody got hurt.
    I did worry, I accepted the ultimate responsibility for the decision. I have no regrets, it was the right thing, I will never regret it and I think it will always be to the credit of the Australian people who took a stand but the men and woman who deserve the praise above everybody else are the men and woman we are honouring today", Howard said.
    Howard has rejected calls for an inquiry into whether intelligence about Iraq's arsenal of banned weapons was exaggerated or misused to justify the war, adding criticism of the invasion amounted to calling for Saddam's restoration.
    Howard's decision to send troops to Iraq split Australia, sparking massive and at times violent public demonstrations, and while thousands cheered the troops on Wednesday many still question the war and Australia's involvement.
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