Australia to send troops to Afghanistan

[MarauderMike]

Reference - CTV News

Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia — Australia will send 150 elite troops to Afghanistan by September to fight a growing tide of insurgent-led violence by remnants of the Taliban and al-Qaida, the prime minister said Wednesday.

The troops would comprise Special Air Service Regiment soldiers, commandos and support personnel, Prime Minister John Howard said.

"It's fair to say that the progress that's been made in the establishment of a legitimate government in Afghanistan has come under increasing attack and pressure from the Taliban in particular and some elements of al-Qaida," Howard told reporters.

"We have received at a military level requests from both the United States and others and also the government of Afghanistan and we have therefore decided ... to dispatch a special forces task group," he added.

The troops would be in place by September and remain for a year, he said.

The Australian defense department would also consider sending up to 200 troops as part of a reconstruction team to Afghanistan early next year, he said.

Australia sent about 1,500 military personnel, including 150 Special Air Service troops, to support the U.S.-led war that ousted the Taliban and al-Qaida forces in late 2001, but currently has only one soldier there. That soldier is involved in mine clearance.

Howard said the new deployment would have a separate Australian national command, although the task group would be under the operational control of U.S. forces.

"We think its important that the progress made in Afghanistan is preserved and consolidated and that the resurgence of violence and the resurgence of attempts by the Taliban to undermine the government of that country are not successful," he said.

The U.S.-trained Afghan army now numbers 26,000 and regularly fights alongside troops from the 20,000-strong U.S.-led coalition. A separate NATO-led force of 8,000 soldiers is responsible for security in Kabul and the country's north and west.

But the forces in Afghanistan are struggling to contain unprecedented fighting by insurgents that has left more than 700 people dead in three months and threatened to sabotage three years of progress toward peace. U.S. and Afghan officials have warned violence is likely to worsen before legislative elections in September.

Afghanistan's ambassador to Australia, Mahmoud Saikal, welcomed the new deployment, saying the Australian troops would help the elections run smoothly.

[Arms]

Go SASR! Heard about this a few days ago on Channel Ten.

[jmcdonald]

Yep, Aussies headin' out to hopefully end the war on terror soon.

[Militiaman]

Those scumbag train bombers and airline hijackers need some more bullets. I am glad Australia is pitching in on the war against these whackos.

[Dan]

well we have already pitched in alot more then the government initially commited. Deploying troops is not a very popular move with the people, but the fact that it is the SASR seams to have calmed the public uproar.

[Arms]

SASR has already been quite active these past years. Such as being involved on invasion of Iraq and even fighting in Afghanistan already. What Dan says is true in a way as the Australian public don't really know much about SASR or acknowledge them than the way they do to normal Australian troops.

[BrandonKappel]

Good to see a little more international help.

[Kurtz]

Canada is sending another contingent, starting with 250 soldiers, to form a Provincial Reconstruction Team, to provide security and start reconstruction projects in Khandahar, supplemented by an unknown number of operators from JTF-2. The public has been thoroughly warned of the danger of this mission and expectation of casualties. Things are going to get hot there for the elections.

[babydave]

UK is planning to send 3000 more troops. although i dont see where they are coming from.

i hope for the afghans and iraqis that we end this insurgency soon. they shouldnt have to face these problems. the international community could do a lot more to help, rather than the usual countries i feel.

Edited July 22, 2005 by babydave

[dekela]

aussie troops have been heavily active since the 9/11 incident. most peeps know jack about what australia has done, as it's not widely broadcast. lets just say that we have been in every conficlt since, including ghan and iraq. we are not really sending troops, we are simply reinforcing the ones there. thats the problem when you do your job too well, no one hears about it.

cheers......