Thepossibility of a new Australian troop deployment to Afghanistan is expected tobe discussed when the Prime Minister, John Howard, meets the US President,George Bush, and the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, on his upcoming trip.And cabinet may make a decision within the next two months.Mr Howardwill meet the leaders during trips to Washingtonand London thismonth. Australia has beenunder increasing pressure from the United States,Britain and Afghanistan tosend troops to the country since late last year. The Defence Minister, RobertHill, discussed the issue with the USSecretary of Defence, Donald Rumsfeld, in Singapore last month.
SenatorHill also discussed the issue with the British Secretary of State for Defence,Dr John Reid.
Australia is being asked to supply troops tohelp stabilise security in Afghanistanand to help train Afghan security forces.
Butaccording to official sources, it is thought Australiawould not be able to deploy forces to Afghanistan until next year.
The debatecoincides with an upsurge of violence in Afghanistan in the lead-up to itsparliamentary elections, planned for September.
Last weekseven USmilitary personnel were killed after their helicopter was shot down. The USresponded with an air strike that killed up to 17 civilians along withsuspected Taliban members.
SenatorHill confirmed yesterday that the Government would soon be considering a freshtroop deployment to Afghanistan.
“Wehaven’t addressed it on a whole-of-government basis,” he said. “Weare quite heavily committed at the moment, particularly in Iraq and, as you know, we have only recentlyincreased the size of our deployment to Iraq. However, we will discuss it.
“Weunderstand the importance of consolidating progress in Afghanistan.”
Afghanistan’s ambassador to Australia, Mahmoud Saikal, told theHerald the security of his country was “the security of theworld”. He said assistance from Australia was needed in threeareas: security and defence, reconstruction, and diplomacy.
Hiscomments followed remarks by Afghanistan’sForeign Minister, Abdullah Abdullah, that if a new Australian troop deploymentto his country eventuated, “it will be a very welcome news for the peopleof Afghanistan”.
Labor’sspokesman for defence, Robert McClelland, said he supported Australia’s military involvement in Afghanistanbecause it was of “direct relevance to our regional security”.
A newAustralian commitment in Afghanistanin 2006 would be launched as the NATO-led international force expands itssecurity operations into the volatile region of southern Afghanistan, including Kandahar, the traditional home of theTaliban.
USLieutenant-General Walter Sharp last month flagged the need for greaterinternational military support for this expansion when he set out the US and NATO strategy for Afghanistan before the Senate ArmedServices Committee.