Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I acknowledge the contribution made by the member for Makin and also those made by other speakers on this subject. I rise to speak on Australia’s involvement in the war in Afghanistan. For me, this is an excellent opportunity not only to reflect on and review Australia’s role in the war but also to ponder what is in the hearts and minds of Australians.

Before I start, I would like to state that I have a deep respect and admiration for Australian soldiers past and present. With Remembrance Day just last week, this is an opportune time to discuss this issue—keeping in the forefront of all our debates the memories of those who have passed—and to try to put into perspective the current situation and the future of those currently serving for Australia overseas. To those soldiers—some 1,550 of you—currently deployed, as well as to the many more who have been to Afghanistan and theatres around the world, and also, sadly, to all Australian troops who have lost their lives, and to those who have been seriously wounded: we must recognise that you have paid the price that many of us in this place talk about but have never experienced. While we are here today talking about the war, Australian men and women are living the war. They are at the coalface.

There are a number of reasons why this debate is timely. The politics surrounding the war in Afghanistan have changed. There are new elements reshaping the war debate, including a high number of Australian casualties, particularly this year; operational concerns from the troops, in particular with regard to leaked emails; three soldiers facing charges; national weariness of the nine-year war effort; and a lack of understanding as to why Australian troops are in Afghanistan.

This debate is not as simple as being prowar or antiwar, as some would want to believe. Our involvement is woven into the complexities of Afghanistan and into an ongoing commitment that has exceeded all expectations. If we are having a debate on whether or not Australian troops should be withdrawn from Afghanistan, we are really articulating a concern at the long nine years of Australia’s involvement and our generational commitment to the US-Australia alliance. Are we prepared, as the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, said, to be involved in Afghanistan for the next decade at least?

The commitment is the issue that needs to be addressed. We should remember the reasons for deploying troops to Afghanistan were born after 9-11. It was the start of our commitment to the war on terror, and that commitment had Australia-wide support—even from the Greens. Senator Bob Brown, in a speech in September 2001 in the other place, described 9-11 as an ‘awesome tragedy’ in and a ‘heinous terrorist attack’ on the United States. Australia’s deployment was viewed as necessary to combat further potential terrorist attacks.

We have now been committed to Afghanistan for nine long years, and some Australian people are becoming increasingly uncomfortable. It appears we have no tangible outcomes and no end in sight. The confusion speaks to the heart of why our young men and women are still in Afghanistan. This is another reason why this debate is so important. The Australian people want reassurance that we are there fighting a just fight.

Australians only need to ask the troops who serve in Afghanistan for that reassurance. I have been privileged to speak to some of the fine young men and women of Australia who have served our nation in Afghanistan, and they believe they are there for the right reasons. Australians believe the primary motivation for our troops continuing their deployment in Afghanistan is to ensure that it does not again become a training ground for terrorists.

The threat of terrorism continues to be a real threat for all Australians. Nearly 100 Australians have been killed in terrorist attacks over the past 10 years which have been planned and executed from terrorist safe havens within the mountains of Afghanistan. Australians have, unfortunately, been victims of a number of targeted terrorist attacks, including Bali in 2002, the Australian embassy in Jakarta in 2009, the London train and bus bombings in 2007, Bali again in 2005, and the Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels in Jakarta in 2009.

I was recently reminded about the Bali bombings and the effect they had on all Australians and their families and friends when I attended the Bali bombing dawn memorial service in Kings Park on 12 October. I was joined by my colleague the member for Curtin, the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, Julie Bishop, in a moving ceremony that was attended by many people in Perth. Some were survivors and others were friends or family of the victims of these terrorist attacks. The memory of those Australians who died and those who survived these attacks will never be forgotten by these people, and all Australians should never forget them.

These Australians remain a stark reminder to us all about the reality of terrorism. If we are to continue the war against terrorists then we need to continue to ensure that there are no safe havens for them in countries like Afghanistan. We must remain vigilant to safeguard all Australians, and no more Australians should lose their lives because Afghanistan has served as a safe haven for terrorists to train.

Are we in Afghanistan to honour our alliance with the US? For some Australians the idea of Australia being in Afghanistan purely to keep the Americans on side does not sit well. Australians need to be reminded, however, that we have a responsibility to join with the US and its partners under the sanction of the UN to continue to achieve the mission in Afghanistan, and the mission clearly has not yet been achieved. The US has also supported us not so long ago with occupations of East Timor and the Solomon Islands in 2003. Our alliance with America cannot be the primary and only reason for staying; however, it forms part of a broader strategy.

So why are we in Afghanistan? There are a large number of reasonable explanations, including to uphold ANZUS; for Australia’s self-defence; to capture Osama bin Laden; to dismantle the Taliban; a commitment to be part of the war on terror; to help avert further terrorist attacks in places like Bali; for human rights, in particular liberating Afghan women; and to set up a democracy or training the Afghan National Army—all of which are just reasons to be there. However, we have seen the government change the focus on our involvement in Afghanistan over the past two years, which the member for Makin mentioned during his speech. What started as an anti-terrorist focus has now become the mentoring and training of Afghan soldiers to ultimately take responsibility for upholding the safety and security of their people.

Since the change of government in Australia in 2007 and the US in 2008, the mission in Afghanistan has changed, with the central focus now geared towards ensuring that Afghans take over responsibility for their own security. We must support the stabilisation of the Afghan state through the combination of civil, police and military training for local Afghans to enable them to achieve self-determination within a reasonable period of time.

In 2009, President Obama announced a revised strategy for Afghanistan that saw more troops committed and the long-term goal being a transition over to the Afghan government. Part of the new counterinsurgency strategy includes the COIN doctrine as laid out by General David H Petraeus. It aims to bolster economic growth, stability and Afghan goodwill toward their government with a strategy with a range of various components, including to hire Afghans first; buy Afghan products and build Afghan capacity; use contracting to hire Afghan workers and Afghan owned companies; and to consult and involve local leaders, develop new partnerships and contracts with a broader range of Afghan companies which will help break monopolies and weaken patronage networks that help breed resentment.

Progress in a counterinsurgency is gradual and achieved by degrees, village by village. It is a slow process, but there is no other way to achieve the goal. The success of Afghanistan can only be measured in the small wins that are happening day by day taking us closer to a secure Afghanistan. One of Australia’s operational objectives was to train the Afghan forces to the point where they can take responsibility for the Oruzgan province. That has not been achieved and is likely to take some years before that objective is achieved; however, the 4th Afghan Brigade are being trained and mentored to take control of Oruzgan so they can help build a secure place where the locals can live without fear of reprisals from the Taliban and other criminal elements.

So are the Australian troops making a difference? The answer is yes. Our troops are doing their job in difficult and dangerous circumstances. The terrain is inhospitable, the weather and the dust overbearing, and the insurgents are unrelenting. Despite this, our forces are fighting the good fight. Progress is slow but is being made. Not only military progress but trust has developed between our forces and the Afghan forces, forging a productive partnership.

The Australian Defence Force are involved in a number of projects across Afghanistan, including Oruzgan Province and Kandahar. They are engaged in operations, including those involved in reconstruction, mentoring, security, accommodation, infrastructure and countering the effects of improvised explosive devices. Australia is leading the way in training and promoting the development of the Afghan people in determining their own destiny. Despite various media reports on the war, with various experts saying it is unwinnable, it should be understood that the success of this conflict will not be achieved through military means alone. Success will also be measured by ensuring that the local population is protected and separated from the insurgents.

Now we come to the question that lies at the heart of the debate: when is the right time for Australia to withdraw troops? When can our troops come home? Looking at the withdrawal of other international forces: in August the Netherlands withdrew most of its 1,950 troops from Oruzgan; the Canadians are expected to commence withdrawing their 2,830-strong troop commitment as of next year; Poland’s 2,600 troops will leave Afghanistan in 2012; indications are that the British will commence the withdrawal of their 10,000 troops in 2014 and 2015; the US have said that they will commence standing down troops in July next year; and, as to the remaining 90,000 troops, it is unclear when they will leave. The question is very difficult to answer. My colleague the member for Curtin has urged the government to not set a specific timeline for the withdrawal of Australian troops so that the Taliban do not use it to their advantage. I agree with the member for Curtin that we need to be very careful about how and when to start withdrawing our troops. We need to ensure that our exit does not leave the country to implode. The best exit plan for Australian and international forces is to finish the job we have started. For Australia this means completing the task of training the 4th Brigade and ensuring that the central government is capable of containing and defeating the insurgency. To leave before that goal is achieved would hardly be the actions of a friend. It was recently reported that America’s plan to start withdrawing troops from July 2011 had given a morale boost to the Taliban, who believe they can wait out the NATO forces. Our forces should only withdraw when Afghan forces are ready and able to take over. It would be irresponsible to do otherwise.

Afghanistan over the past nine years has been a dynamic problem, with the challenge of keeping up with the constantly changing conditions on the ground. Counterinsurgency campaigns are rollercoasters with advances and setbacks, which brings us to the fact that Australian troops have lost their lives in Afghanistan. This is a high price. This is the most heartbreaking aspect of war and nothing can come close to the loss felt by devastated loved ones left to carry on. I hope that families can take some comfort in knowing that in the heart of every Aussie soldier is a dedication and commitment to ensure Australians are safer across the world because of the job they are doing. We are all forever grateful. We must also not forget the lost lives of our allies and the Afghan people.

This war has not been easily fought. All sides have been hurt. There is no hiding from the reality. We are part of an international mission in Afghanistan and we should not walk away from our responsibilities. Australia has a moral obligation to fulfil its part. We need to finish the task. Our country was built on hard work and finishing a job properly. Those values are still important for us as a nation today. Mature governments do not cut and run ahead of their senior allies. From the start, Australia’s commitment was mandated by the UN and the invoking of the ANZUS Treaty. Many vocal minorities quote international agreements for issues that they say we must support, but they conveniently forget our treaty commitments when they are about an issue such as Afghanistan.

Before I close, I would like to mention that last week I saw a show that mentioned Captain Noel Chavasse who was in the Royal British Army Medical Corps during World War I. He died on 4 August 1917 after suffering a gaping abdominal wound. His gravestone is engraved with two Victoria Crosses—that is unique in itself—but the inscription on his gravestone is what I want to bring to the attention of the House. It reads:

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

In recognising the spirit of the inscription of Captain Chavasse’s gravestone, this applies to all our brave Australians in Afghanistan and to every Australian who has fought for their country. Whether or not they believe in the reasons for being there, they must never have their commitment undervalued by those back home who did not make the decision to send them to war or by those who have never faced an enemy or had to make the decision to put their lives on the line for their country.

In closing, I support Australia’s continuing deployment to Afghanistan because the job is clearly not finished. To leave the job half finished would be an insult to all those Australians who have given their lives or who have been wounded during duty, believing they were making a difference and ultimately making the world a safer place for all Australians.

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