'Australia making a dash for it - that would do our reputation enormous harm.'
Doubtful. Afghanistan is going to fold anyway. Most likely, the labor government is going next year. Being remembered for a good decision (getting out now and throwing this fool's errand behind us) would be a better way to sign-off next year than being part of the sheep.
Where the public is seriously let down is that Gillard and Abbott believe Afghanistan is a worthy effort. And, I don't care particularly who someone votes for; but when you have complicity on a stupid venture on this scale, we have serious policy problems.
The "oh-we-have-to-follow-the-U.S.", is not an answer. U.S. and Australian relations cannot be hurt based on sound discussion of strategic facts.
In other news, Australia ran an op in Afghanistan after the killing of our solders. Depending on who you believe, it went OK or it went bad. Bad as in, it damaged that reputation that concerns Carr so much because Tony Sopranno, the head of the Afghanistan government didn't like what happened.
I would love to see Abbott, Gillard and Carr carry a pack and rifle in Operation: USELESS DIRT for a while and then see what they think.
Until then, our brave soldiers are locked into a no-win scenario.
Unless someone is willing to fund 500,000 actual boots on the ground (not counting support troops), and bomb Pakistan until there is no more cross-border insurgent help, for...several years, then I do not see any credible plan for victory, in an op that has no valid defensive value to the citizens of Australia.
2 comments:
Eric, the Government and the CDF have been defending the Australian Soldiers all afternoon and basically calling the Afghan Prime Minister a liar. Didnt you see the news?
I wasn't saying the op was bad. I was saying that the corrupt head of the Afghan government stated that. Also of interest, where is all this "progress" Smith and others have told us about the Afghan security partners...for years?
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