Operation Slipper involved more than 33,000 members of the Defence Force, Public Service and Federal Police who have been deployed to Afghanistan and the Middle East. On 20 November 2002, Australian Prime Minister John Howard said that Australia would begin withdrawing its 150 commandos from Afghanistan later that month. The Australian contribution to the war in Afghanistan has … Continue reading On this day (Australia): In 2002, John Howard said that Australia would begin withdrawing its 150 commandos from Afghanistan