More diggers shot by “Allies”

A ROGUE Afghan National Army soldier is on the run after shooting Australian instructors at a remote base in Afghanistan’s Oruzgan Province. BRENDAN NICHOLSON says Attacks on Diggers by rogue Afghanis threatens withdrawal strategy

Fourteen Australian soldiers have now been shot by members of the Afghan National Army’s 4th Brigade they were training. Four have died since May and 10 are being treated for serious wounds.

This is a terrible outcome but it is war after all. Brendan is not alone in mentioning the withdrawal strategy as many are now calling for our withdrawal because of these rogue attacks. It is reasonable to debate our presence in Afghanistan but not to call for our withdrawal just because we are taking these sought of casualties. I too have feel threatened by allies and can recall telling a Vietcong Chieu Hoi that if he lead us into an ambush I would shoot him first. He behaved himself. The Army will have already changed tactics and protocols to deal with this but the aim of the mission needs to be maintained; not changed because the degree of difficulty increases.