Briefs

Sydney Morning Herald

Saturday November 21, 2009

Brendan Nicholson

Canberra parade for veteransAUSTRALIAN military personnel and defence civilians who served in Iraq will be given another "welcome home" parade - this time in Canberra today. Iraq veterans have already had "welcome home" parades in Brisbane, Darwin and Townsville.While 20,000 Australians served in Iraq between July 16, 2003, and July 31 this year, just 300 of them will take part. It is understood that the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, instructed Defence to organise the parade in response to concerns that Iraq veterans might be treated as badly as Vietnam veterans were after another unpopular war.Mr Rudd, the Governor-General, Quentin Bryce, and the Defence Minister, John Faulkner, will attend. The Defence Force Federation Guard will lead the parade to the Australian War Memorial. There are 82 Australian military personnel in Iraq, most of them in the security detachment protecting officials in Baghdad.

© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald

Back to News Index | Back to Home