Review could change troop role: Faulkner

Australia will not send more soldiers to Afghanistan but a review of existing roles
could lead to a greater emphasis on the training of Afghan forces, Defence Minister
John Faulkner says.

And unlike US President Barack Obama, who has announced a troop surge ahead of a
withdrawal starting in 18 months, Australia is setting no deadline to leave.
Senator Faulkner said he was reluctant to set a time frame for the mission, now
involving around 1,500 personnel, most of whom serve training, reconstruction and
security roles in the dangerous Oruzgan province.
He said the government believed troop numbers to be appropriate.
Senator Faulkner said he had recently directed Defence head Air Chief Marshal Angus
Houston to review the Australian forces to ensure they were best positioned to train
the Afghan National Security Forces.
He said a change in the make-up of the Australian force was possible but that would
depend on the advice from Defence.
"The challenge is to ensure we see the Afghan National Security Forces able to take
responsibility, full responsibility, for stability and security in the province," he
told reporters.
"That is when the job is done and that is when I think I will be saying to you we've
got close to completing our task."
In his announcement, Mr Obama revealed the US would pour 30,000 more troops into
Afghanistan, with the withdrawal starting in July 2011.
He also stepped up pressure on NATO allies to send more troops, saying they, too,
were threatened by Afghan-based terrorism.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said the new strategy was the best way to provide security
for the Afghan people and to train sufficient local forces over time to transfer
responsibility to the Afghans themselves.
"The president's strategy is entirely consistent with the approach that Australia is
taking in Afghanistan, where we are working to train the Afghan security forces so
that responsibility for security can be transferred to them," he said.
"At the same time we will increase our police training and civilian development
assistance. Australia, like the United States, is committed to a transition to
Afghan responsibility as soon as conditions allow."
More pressing for Australia is the announcement by the Netherlands that it plans to
start pulling its 2,000 troops out of Oruzgan from August next year.
The Dutch perform the lead role in Oruzgan, with their forces providing crucial
support units, including a hospital, artillery and combat helicopters used by
Australian forces.
Australia has persistently rejected taking the lead role.
Senator Faulkner said he had stressed forcefully with NATO that this issue was
becoming more urgent and a new lead nation needed to be found.
He said he hoped the Dutch would continue to play some role in Oruzgan, perhaps
keeping their highly regarded provincial reconstruction team in place.
"At this stage, yes, there is a lack of certainty about what precisely the final
decision of the Dutch might be," the defence minister said.
"There is no uncertainty about the timetable. A decision will have to be made in the
next few months as these issues clarify."