[url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/bush-alone-on-iraq/2008/03/28/1206207407916.html]Rudd's troop withdrawal leaves Bush alone on Iraq
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KEVIN RUDD was to formally tell the US President, George Bush, yesterday that Australia would withdraw its combat troops from Iraq and compensate by increasing financial and humanitarian help and by training Iraqi security forces outside the country.
Speaking before their White House meeting, which was scheduled to begin at 1am today Sydney time, Mr Rudd said he envisaged the troop withdrawal would not harm the US-Australian alliance because Labor's position had been made clear before the election.
"The challenge for the future is how do we partner with America and other friends and allies in providing other forms of assistance to the Government of Iraq," he said. "I'm confident of our policy setting and I'm confident we'll do so in close co-ordination, consultation and harmony with … the United States."
The meeting came one day after Mr Bush gave a speech in Ohio in which he warned that retreating now from Iraq "would carry enormous strategic costs for the United States".
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