Australia Will Double Its Troops in Afghanistan
Australian prime minister John Howard to deploy more soldiers to disrupt the Taliban's command.
Australia will nearly double its military deployment in Afghanistan to about 1,000 soldiers by the middle of next year, the country's prime minister, John Howard, announced today.
Mr Howard, a staunch US and UK ally in Britain and Iraq, would not rule out increasing troop numbers further if the need arose and warned of potential casualties.
"I should make it clear that all of the intelligence advice suggests that there is a heightened security risk," Mr Howard said. "There is the distinct possibility of casualties and that should be understood and prepared for by the Australian public," he added.
Only one Australian soldier has been killed in Afghanistan since the US-led invasion in 2001. The Australian Defence Force (ADF) will add 400 troops to its contingent of 550 currently in Afghanistan by mid-2007. It will add another 50 by the middle of 2008, bringing the deployment to about 1,000, Mr Howard told reporters.
The troops will be sent to Oruzgan province, he added, to enhance the area's security and disrupt Taliban command and supply routes.
"There is renewed commitment and activity by the Taliban," he said. "The possibility of Afghanistan once again becoming a bolt hole, a safe haven for terrorists, is quite real."
Mr Howard said there had been extensive discussions between the ADF head, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, and his counterparts in the United States, Britain and the Netherlands.
Australia sent troops to Afghanistan as part of the US-led war on terror in late 2001 but withdrew all but one land mine specialist in 2002 as security improved. However, more Australian soldiers were sent in September 2005 to provide security for elections.
"We're not losing the war, but we will not win it without renewed and increased effort," Mr Howard said. He added that he appreciated a recent increase in Canadian troops in Afghanistan and wished some European countries would place fewer caveats on their troops' deployment.
Australia also has 1,400 troops in Iraq, a deployment that is opposed by the opposition Labor Party. Labor supports Australia's military involvement in Afghanistan.
Mr Howard, a staunch US and UK ally in Britain and Iraq, would not rule out increasing troop numbers further if the need arose and warned of potential casualties.
"I should make it clear that all of the intelligence advice suggests that there is a heightened security risk," Mr Howard said. "There is the distinct possibility of casualties and that should be understood and prepared for by the Australian public," he added.
Only one Australian soldier has been killed in Afghanistan since the US-led invasion in 2001. The Australian Defence Force (ADF) will add 400 troops to its contingent of 550 currently in Afghanistan by mid-2007. It will add another 50 by the middle of 2008, bringing the deployment to about 1,000, Mr Howard told reporters.
The troops will be sent to Oruzgan province, he added, to enhance the area's security and disrupt Taliban command and supply routes.
"There is renewed commitment and activity by the Taliban," he said. "The possibility of Afghanistan once again becoming a bolt hole, a safe haven for terrorists, is quite real."
Mr Howard said there had been extensive discussions between the ADF head, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, and his counterparts in the United States, Britain and the Netherlands.
Australia sent troops to Afghanistan as part of the US-led war on terror in late 2001 but withdrew all but one land mine specialist in 2002 as security improved. However, more Australian soldiers were sent in September 2005 to provide security for elections.
"We're not losing the war, but we will not win it without renewed and increased effort," Mr Howard said. He added that he appreciated a recent increase in Canadian troops in Afghanistan and wished some European countries would place fewer caveats on their troops' deployment.
Australia also has 1,400 troops in Iraq, a deployment that is opposed by the opposition Labor Party. Labor supports Australia's military involvement in Afghanistan.
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