.Australia not pulling its weight in Afghanistan
A retired Australian general says Australia should play more of a role in Afghanistan and take over the military leadership in Uruzgan province when Dutch forces pull out.
The Dutch are expected to withdraw in August, but Australia says it will not assume leadership in the province when they are gone.
Retired General Jim Molan, who helped command the Coalition forces in Iraq, told ABC News Breakfast that Australia has a moral obligation to take over the leadership role.
"Australia cannot win the war in Afghanistan by itself, but I believe that we have an obligation to play our role in the Obama strategy that our Government has fully supported," he said.
"At the moment I don't believe we are playing that role adequately.
"I believe we have the forces to do it. I believe we have a moral obligation to apply Australian standards, Australian competence and Australian humanity to the province of Uruzgan.
General Molan said if Australia did not take up the leadership, he did not know who would.
"Are we going to end up with a general from a country in Europe somewhere, in NATO, with ISAF, with a mixed NATO headquarters, running what our fine troops are doing in Uruzgan province?
"The Americans are the majority of the force in Afghanistan. They need our assistance now, and it just seems that we are taking a very narrow-minded and insular approach to this.
"I think that we could do it. I think we should do it. I think we have some form of moral obligation to run our little part of the war in an Australian way, and that's what we should be doing."
ABC
The Dutch are expected to withdraw in August, but Australia says it will not assume leadership in the province when they are gone.
Retired General Jim Molan, who helped command the Coalition forces in Iraq, told ABC News Breakfast that Australia has a moral obligation to take over the leadership role.
"Australia cannot win the war in Afghanistan by itself, but I believe that we have an obligation to play our role in the Obama strategy that our Government has fully supported," he said.
"At the moment I don't believe we are playing that role adequately.
"I believe we have the forces to do it. I believe we have a moral obligation to apply Australian standards, Australian competence and Australian humanity to the province of Uruzgan.
General Molan said if Australia did not take up the leadership, he did not know who would.
"Are we going to end up with a general from a country in Europe somewhere, in NATO, with ISAF, with a mixed NATO headquarters, running what our fine troops are doing in Uruzgan province?
"The Americans are the majority of the force in Afghanistan. They need our assistance now, and it just seems that we are taking a very narrow-minded and insular approach to this.
"I think that we could do it. I think we should do it. I think we have some form of moral obligation to run our little part of the war in an Australian way, and that's what we should be doing."
ABC
posted by madtom at 12:04 AM
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