Howard, Bush to meet May 16

PRIME Minster John Howard will meet US President George W. Bush in Washington on May 16 for talks on international security, the war on terror and other matters, the White House announced.

"Australia stands as one of America's closest allies and partners, and continues to work with the United States toward the common goals of promoting peace, freedom and prosperity through fighting terrorism, stopping the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and promoting an open international economic order," the White House said in a statement.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19074713-29277,00.html



Australia sent 1,500-strong troops to Afghanistan in 2001 to take part in the U.S.-led war to topple the Taliban regime, but withdrew all its troops in 2002. It decided to redeploy troops to Afghanistan in July last year.

Howard announced Monday that Australia would send an additional 240 troops to Afghanistan to join 300 troops already there. Australia also has deployed troops in southern Iraq.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-05/09/content_4523684.htm

That would have been fun!:7

Maybe Howard's government will have been ball-peened by then, too.

Aussies happy. :sarcasm: