Police training boost for Afghanistan

Defence Minister Stephen Smith has foreshadowed a boost in Australia's commitment to
Afghanistan during a visit to the war-torn country.
Mr Smith, visiting troops on the front line at Tarin Kowt, said he would ask the
federal government to consider sending more police trainers to Afghanistan to help
train the local security forces.
Mr Smith passed on condolences to Australian soldiers who have recently lost mates
in the fighting.
He earlier met the US commander in Afghanistan, General David Petraeus, in Kabul.
Mr Smith said he planned to discuss with Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and others the
possibility of sending more police trainers to speed up the transition in
Afghanistan.
"I'm very pleased and very happy to take back to my colleagues the suggestion that
we look to see if we can do more so far as police training is concerned," he told
reporters.
It is the new defence minister's first visit to Afghanistan.



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