Deakin Speaking

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The war in Afghanistan was lost over 4 years ago. Given what has been dropped on and fired at them since late 2001, it is clear the Taliban cannot be eliminated: after all, they have nowhere else to go. There are no military solutions to the complex social, political and economic problems in the country. Victory cannot even be rationally or coherently defined by Western forces. An escalation of Australian and US troops, a consequence of the sensible reluctance of NATO member states to get further involved in such a futile conflict, will only further immiserate the people of this benighted country. This is why calls by Jim Molan and Carl Ungerer to send more Australian troops into harms way in Afghanistan are so irresponsible and counter-productive.

Given planning for the 9/11 attacks was conducted in Germany, the UAE and the US, the case for a war against Afghanistan was always weak. Now that everyone seems to agree that the Al Qaeda and Taliban leadership is in Pakistan, arguments for an escalation of this war – and a continuation of the suffering of the Afghan people - does not exist. Two-thirds of the Australian people recognise this even if a retired General and a conservative think tanker do not.

Jim Molan’s comments here

Carl Ungerer’s comments here

Where is the exit strategy in Afghanistan?