The Howard Government committed troops to the Afghanistan War ( with bi-partisan support ) and the Iraq War ( meeting with the disapproval of other political parties ) . SAS troops formed the most high-profile part of Operation Slipper , Australia 's contribution to the invading force in the 2001 United States war in Afghanistan . A small number of Australians , including David Hicks , were captured in and around the Afghan Theatre having spent time training or fighting with Al-Qaeda aligned Islamist paramilitaries . Islamists following the Al-Qaeda modus operandi bombed a nightclub in Bali in 2002 and killed 88 Australian civilians . The following year , the Iraq War was launched by a U.S.-British led coalition to overthrow the Saddam Hussein government of Iraq for its non-compliance with the 1991 Gulf War Peace Treaty . Australian contribution to the 2003 invasion of Iraq lasted until 2009 and was highly controversial . Following the death of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden at the hands of US forces in May 2011 , Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced that Australian forces would remain in Afghanistan and said that Bin Laden 's death offered a " small measure of justice " to the families of the 105 Australians who been killed in Al-Qaeda attacks in New York , Bali , London and Mumbai since the commencement of the conflict . As of May 2011 , a further 24 Australian military personnel had been killed while serving in the Afghanistan conflict ( including one with the British Armed Forces )
bombed a nightclub in Bali
2002 Bali bombings
History of Australia since 1945