Another 200 troops sent to Afghanistan
AUSTRALIA would send about 200 extra troops to Afghanistan to help reconstruction efforts, Prime Minister John Howard said today.
Mr Howard said the troops would be part of a Dutch-led provincial reconstruction team (PRT).
The latest deployment will take the total number of Australian troops in Afghanistan to about 500.
"Australia has decided to send an Australian Defence Force reconstruction to Afghanistan," Mr Howard said.
"It will begin deploying, we think, late in July."
Mr Howard said the Australians would be deployed over two years.
Last month, the Government decided to send an extra 110 troops and two helicopters to Afghanistan, increasing its military commitment to 300 personnel as coalition forces battle a resurgent Taliban.
The Government for some time has given its in-principle support to sending another 200 troops as part of a reconstruction effort to help rebuild the war-torn nation.
The Dutch committed early this month to sending a deployment of up to 1400 personnel to southern Afghanistan to help the reconstruction effort.
Mr Howard said the Australian contingent would be a mixed security and reconstruction taskforce.
Asked if he had received assurances the troop commitment would not stretch Australian Defence Force (ADF) capabilities, Mr Howard said: "Very much so. Very, very much so.
"We are confident that, based on the advice that we have received, that it can be carried out without imposing an unreasonable or unfair strain on the ADF."
The troops would go to Afghanistan with specific objectives and would not intervene in domestic matters such as the problem of the cultivation and selling of opium, Mr Howard said.
"Dealing with that is overwhelmingly the responsibility of the local authorities," he said.
"These additional forces will go there with particular targets in mind. They will go to a particular province, they will be part of a Dutch-led reconstruction force and will act in accordance with their mission objectives."
"Australian contingent would be a mixed security and reconstruction taskforce."
Anyone know who there gonna send?
AUSTRALIA would send about 200 extra troops to Afghanistan to help reconstruction efforts, Prime Minister John Howard said today.
Mr Howard said the troops would be part of a Dutch-led provincial reconstruction team (PRT).
The latest deployment will take the total number of Australian troops in Afghanistan to about 500.
"Australia has decided to send an Australian Defence Force reconstruction to Afghanistan," Mr Howard said.
"It will begin deploying, we think, late in July."
Mr Howard said the Australians would be deployed over two years.
Last month, the Government decided to send an extra 110 troops and two helicopters to Afghanistan, increasing its military commitment to 300 personnel as coalition forces battle a resurgent Taliban.
The Government for some time has given its in-principle support to sending another 200 troops as part of a reconstruction effort to help rebuild the war-torn nation.
The Dutch committed early this month to sending a deployment of up to 1400 personnel to southern Afghanistan to help the reconstruction effort.
Mr Howard said the Australian contingent would be a mixed security and reconstruction taskforce.
Asked if he had received assurances the troop commitment would not stretch Australian Defence Force (ADF) capabilities, Mr Howard said: "Very much so. Very, very much so.
"We are confident that, based on the advice that we have received, that it can be carried out without imposing an unreasonable or unfair strain on the ADF."
The troops would go to Afghanistan with specific objectives and would not intervene in domestic matters such as the problem of the cultivation and selling of opium, Mr Howard said.
"Dealing with that is overwhelmingly the responsibility of the local authorities," he said.
"These additional forces will go there with particular targets in mind. They will go to a particular province, they will be part of a Dutch-led reconstruction force and will act in accordance with their mission objectives."
"Australian contingent would be a mixed security and reconstruction taskforce."
Anyone know who there gonna send?
