Australia said in mid-April that it would bring its troops home from Afghanistan a year earlier than planned with most soldiers withdrawn in 2013 after significant security gains over the past 18 months. Canberra, a key coalition ally of the United States, has repeatedly said it intends to remain in the war-wracked nation until 2014 but Prime Min ister Julia Gillard said on April 17 Afghans would now be ready to take responsibility earlier.
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