ID :
184108
Tue, 05/24/2011 - 14:12
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/184108
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Australian PM Gillard reaffirms Afghanistan mission
SYDNEY (AAP) - May 24 - Prime Minister Julia Gillard has reaffirmed Australia's commitment to stay the distance in Afghanistan, as another soldier lost his life in the war.
Sergeant Brett Wood, 32, was the 24th Australian to die in action in Afghanistan since 2001. Another 174 now have been wounded in action.
Two other soldiers were wounded in the same incident, and three were wounded in a separate incident.
"Every loss in Afghanistan hurts us as a nation," Ms Gillard told reporters in Canberra, offering her condolences to Sgt Wood's family.
She said there would be some that "despair and wonder" why Australia remained in Afghanistan and whether there was any progress was being made.
"I think the best thing I can say to people is to reiterate the words of Ben Robert Smith, our most recent VC (Victoria Cross) winner," she said.
"He said to me and he said to the nation, `We are making a difference in Afghanistan'.
"And we are making a difference in Afghanistan. Progress is being made."
Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai has said he wants local control of security in place by 2014.
Ms Gillard said the process for Australia's withdrawal of forces remained unchanged.
"We will be there seeing the mission through," she said.
"Transition won't be a day, or a moment in time - it will be a process as areas of Afghanistan are sufficiently stabilised and local security forces are trained to take over.
"There is no point pulling out only to go back in."
It remained important that Afghanistan never again become a safe haven for terrorists, Ms Gillard said.
Asked how Australia's losses compared with those of the insurgency, she said: "I'm confident that in terms of our losses and the losses of the insurgents that the insurgents have lost far more."
Ms Gillard said there were many signs of progress, from local markets and commercial activity coming back to villages to the restoration of local police forces.
Sergeant Brett Wood, 32, was the 24th Australian to die in action in Afghanistan since 2001. Another 174 now have been wounded in action.
Two other soldiers were wounded in the same incident, and three were wounded in a separate incident.
"Every loss in Afghanistan hurts us as a nation," Ms Gillard told reporters in Canberra, offering her condolences to Sgt Wood's family.
She said there would be some that "despair and wonder" why Australia remained in Afghanistan and whether there was any progress was being made.
"I think the best thing I can say to people is to reiterate the words of Ben Robert Smith, our most recent VC (Victoria Cross) winner," she said.
"He said to me and he said to the nation, `We are making a difference in Afghanistan'.
"And we are making a difference in Afghanistan. Progress is being made."
Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai has said he wants local control of security in place by 2014.
Ms Gillard said the process for Australia's withdrawal of forces remained unchanged.
"We will be there seeing the mission through," she said.
"Transition won't be a day, or a moment in time - it will be a process as areas of Afghanistan are sufficiently stabilised and local security forces are trained to take over.
"There is no point pulling out only to go back in."
It remained important that Afghanistan never again become a safe haven for terrorists, Ms Gillard said.
Asked how Australia's losses compared with those of the insurgency, she said: "I'm confident that in terms of our losses and the losses of the insurgents that the insurgents have lost far more."
Ms Gillard said there were many signs of progress, from local markets and commercial activity coming back to villages to the restoration of local police forces.
