By Tom Allard, Defence Writer
The Sydney Morning Herald

June 12 2003

A reconnaissance team from the Department of Defence is expected to leave for Afghanistan soon as Australia considers bolstering its presence in a country experiencing a resurgence of al-Qaeda and Taliban activity.

Australia now has just one liaison officer in Afghanistan after withdrawing the Special Air Service late last year in preparation for the SAS's role in Iraq, amid quiet consternation from the government of Hamid Karzai.

In the six months since the SAS departed, the security situation has deteriorated, especially along the Pakistan border, where al-Qaeda remnants are regrouping amid support from pro-Taliban elements in Pakistan.

Ferocious firefights with Taliban, suicide bombings and threats against United Nations and other non-government personnel have become common.

Another serious concern is an upsurge in opium production.

Afghanistan's Ambassador to Australia, Mahmoud Saikal, said the Minister for Defence, Robert Hill, had given undertakings to a visiting delegation from Kabul last month to investigate sending Australian troops back into Afghanistan. "We are anticipating in the near future a visit from a small team from the Defence Ministry, and they will report back to Senator Hill on the issue," Mr Saikal told the Herald.

A spokesman for Senator Hill said there would be an announcement when a decision was made.

There are three broad options being considered by the Government for a renewed presence in Afghanistan. The favoured option is for Australian Defence Force personnel to be sent to provide training, and possibly equipment, for the nascent Afghan armed forces and police services.

The Afghan Army numbers 5000 - far smaller than the force of 70,000 seen as desirable.

Other initiatives under this "minimalist" option could include engineers and other experts who could help rebuild shattered infrastructure.

Afghanistan has also asked Australia to consider sending another contingent of the SAS, widely praised for its performance in the early stages of the war on terrorism.

The third option is for Australia to contribute peacekeeping forces to the International Security Assistance Force.

With Australian forces spread around the world, the minimalist option clearly has the most appeal to the Government.

The Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark, announced this week that it would send an engineering group of up to 60 personnel to Afghanistan. Up to 100 New Zealand armed military could also join them.

Meanwhile, Canada said it would send 1800 peacekeepers to Kabul in August, citing the "anarchy" in Afghanistan.

Mr Saikal said the problem was particularly acute along the Pakistan border, with "nothing happening on the ground" in terms of Pakistan cracking down on Taliban forces hiding in its western frontiers. "There has been 23 years of destruction in Afghanistan; it takes more than 18 months to fix that."