Aussie Special Forces Headed Back to Afghanistan

Among US veterans, the Korean War is also known as the “Forgotten War,” a name that also fits the current fighting in Afghanistan. The Afghan conflict should be over. The Karzai government should be as well entrenched as any Kabul regime ever was (which isn’t much, granted). Instead, the US and its allies went off on a Mesopotamian adventure and left Afghanistan to simmer. This mistake has led to a resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan, and that has cause the Australian government to order 300 of its best troops back to fight the Taliban.

Historically, Australia is one of America’s closest allies. American and Australian forces have fought side-by-side since 1917. In the war on Fascislam, Australia has more than its American ally’s interest to consider. Of the 202 people killed in the Bali bombing of October 2002, 88 were Australians, mostly tourists. On a per capita basis, it was comparable to America’s September 11, 2001. And the bad guys live a lot closer to Australia than to America. As a matter of transparency, this journal confesses to a soft spot for one’s antipodean cousins.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard said, “We have done this against the background of a deterioration in the security environment in southern Afghanistan.” The Australian government has decided to send a total of 1,000 extra troops to Afghanistan by 2008. Foreign Minister Alexander Downer stated, “We are concerned that there needs to be a real effort to counter this so-called spring offensive by the Taliban. If this is successfully countered then that is going to be a major setback for them. I don’t think it’s an impossible task. I think we are likely to be reasonably successful.”

The Aussies (and their allies) need to be successful. While Iraq-Nam is almost certainly a lost cause, Afghanistan remains a nation that could well shake off the intolerant version of Islam that the Taliban hold to their small, dark, cold hearts. Historically, the local flavor of Islam was reasonably tolerant and decent. The mountainous countryside has always favored a degree of warlord-ism, but Switzerland has found a way to make the divisions among its valleys work to its advantage. The long and short of it is Afghanistan doesn’t need to be a mess, and it's in the world's interest to see that it isn't a mess.

Defeating the anticipated Taliban offensive is a short-term goal, however. Long term, a political settlement in Afghanistan is the only solution, just as it is in Iraq-Nam. Decentralization runs counter to the US policy as enunciated thus far, but it needs to be seriously considered. Weaning the economy off opium growing is another major issue. This war should be over, but the troops were sent elsewhere. Since it isn’t too late, the Australian move is welcome, and the Kensington Review hopes they all come home safely.

© Copyright 2007 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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