Australia denies plans to send more troops to Iraq

Australia’s defence minister today denied reports that the country would send more troops to Iraq to replace outgoing British forces, saying Australia would not take up the slack if other countries began pulling forces out of the war-ravaged country.

“Will we send further people to replace any others that are leaving? No, we have no intention of doing that,” Defence Minister Robert Hill told reporters. “We would like to see our troops home as soon as the job is done.”