Diggers to stay in Afghanistan

The Australian ^ | 30th January 2006 | Samantha Maiden

[naturalman1975]

AFGHAN President Hamid Karzai has warned that foreign troops may be required in the country until 2015.

Amid discussions to boost Australia's military deployment to more than 500 troops, John Howard pledged yesterday to maintain Australia's commitment to the war on terrorism in Afghanistan.

But talks are under way in Europe over whether a provincial reconstruction team will require Australia to send more troops this year.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer will hold talks in London this week with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, President Karzai, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Mr Karzai told the World Economic Forum in Davos at the weekend that foreign troops may be required for another five to 10 years to combat terrorists and insurgents.

"That will take many more years to accomplish," he warned.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed yesterday that his commitment to the war on terror would continue until the job was done.

Earlier this month, Australia announced it would send an extra 110 troops and two Chinook helicopters to Afghanistan. Mr Downer will discuss plans to send an extra 200 troops.

However, Australia is also expected to consider withdrawing SAS troops from the region in the lead-up to the APEC meeting in Sydney next year after they have served a 12-month tour of duty.

Mr Downer will attend the conference on Afghanistan in London on Tuesday and Wednesday. The conference will see the Afghan Government and its donors sign a five-year development plan.

The document will outline ambitious targets for the next five years, such as building the army up to 70,000 soldiers, linking 40per cent of villages with roads, and getting electricity to 65per cent of urban households and 25per cent of rural ones.

[68skylark]

AFGHAN President Hamid Karzai has warned that foreign troops may be required in the country until 2015.

What happens in 2015? Are the trouble-makers going to become peaceful, or convert to a new religion?

[SandRat]

National Anthem of Australia ~ Advance Australia Fair.

[kingu]

I'm rather used to the MSM taking quotes out of context, or telling part of the story, but perhaps someone has a full transcript somewhere - what I want to hear is...

"Thank you for the use of your troops to help keep our nation stable, but we're working hard to ensure that this won't be needed in five or ten years. The foreign troops can go home with thanks from the Afghani citizens for a job well done."

Don't know if I'll get it, but that'd be nice to hear...

[El Gato]

What happens in 2015? Are the trouble-makers going to become peaceful, or convert to a new religion?

I guess he figures it will take that long to kill them all. Perhaps some former Taliban can be rehabilitated, but those "Arab" fighters will all have to rounded up and killed, along with bunches and bunches from the Northwest Frontier provinces of Pakistan.