Morrison caps off year with rally call to troops in Iraq

Scott Morrison has dropped in on Australian troops in his first visit to the Middle East since he took power in August.

Scott Morrison on a Royal Air Force plane during a visit to Baghdad. Picture: AAP

Scott Morrison went to recognise their sacrifice and service in the face of Islamic State, but Aust­ralia’s troops in Iraq had their own gifts for their baseball-cap-loving Prime Minister.

Mr Morrison wore four caps, presented to him by service members­, with pride yesterday in his first visit to the Middle East since he took power in August.

More than 800 Australian ­Defence Force troops met Mr Morrison in Iraq on Wednesday local time and at an undisclosed ­logistical hub elsewhere in the Middle East. He ate and chatted with them, and even met a fellow Cronulla Sharks rugby league fanati­c and signed his jersey with his nickname “ScoMo”.

“I understand it’s a sacrifice, I understand it’s a big thing to be away from your family at this time of year, and that’s why I’ve decided to come here,” Mr Morrison told troops in Taji, north of Baghdad.

“For many it’ll be their first Christmas away from family on a rotation. For some it’s something they’ve done many, many times and they have their own special traditions that they’ve been able to work up with their families … to make sure it’s a special family time.

“On behalf of my family, to you and your families, I want to say thank you very much for your servic­e … But I also want to thank you as a prime minister.”

Task Force Taji is made up of nearly 300 troops and is in charge of training up to 40,000 Iraqi soldier­s in the continuing fight against Islamic State.

The soldiers gave Mr Morrison their official cap, embroidered with their emblem of a white feather over a boomerang.

Scott Morrison and Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi. Picture: AAP

The Expeditionary Airbase Operations Unit at the Middle East headquarters gave him a dark blue cap with a shining gold eagle in the air, while Joint Taskforce 633 gave him a beige cap with a kangaroo on the front and an Australian flag on the back. Charlie Company, the second com­mando regiment known as the wolf pack, gave him a green army cap with a big bold “CC” on it.

“Each and every single day, Australians greatly value your servic­e,” Mr Morrison said.

“And also know that when your service has been completed, know that Australians will always value it when you’re a veteran.”

Tens of thousands of Aust­ralian troops have served in the Middle East since 2001 and Australia will supply up to $180 million in foreign aid to Iraq by 2020.

Mr Morrison also met his Iraqi counterpart, Adil Abdul-Mahdi, to discuss the ongoing fight against Islamic State.

While Islamic State militants are largely suppressed in Iraq, the two leaders did not canvass any significant reduction in the numbe­r of Australian troops or amount of aid. Instead, they discussed how Australian aid could be better spent on reconstruction works and delivering essential servic­es to all regions of Iraq.

“Australia is a friend of a free, independent and sovereign Iraq and that has always been our goal and our motive in seeking to suppor­t Iraq in these difficult years,” Mr Morrison said.