Withdrawing SAS will let terrorists flourish: Afghan Ambassador

Australian Broadcasting Corporation LATELINE Late night news & current affairs Broadcast: 21/11/2002

Compere: Tony Jones
Reporter: Dana Robertson

TONY JONES: The Afghan Ambassador to Australia has issued a blunt warning that the withdrawal of Western forces like the SAS could leave a security vacuum in which terrorists could again thrive.

Australia's special forces will start pulling out of the troubled nation later this month, amid speculation they'll be used to bolster either domestic or international security.

The PM denies that's the case, but even so, has left the way open for an SAS contribution to any future war in Iraq.

Dana Robertson reports from Canberra.

DANA ROBERTSON: Just a week short of their first anniversary in Afghanistan, the SAS soldiers have been told they'll be home for Christmas - the Government confident their job is done.

But Afghanistan is warning that the withdrawal could play into the hands of terrorists.

MAHMOUD SAIKAL, AFGHANISTAN AMBASSADOR: Let's not forget that leading figures of Al Qaeda and Taliban are still alive and highly mobile and active waiting for opportunities to regroup in security vacuums.

DANA ROBERTSON: He says Afghanistan is still without a police force or an army and, if the SAS goes, something needs to replace it.

MAHMOUD SAIKAL: We invite Australia to come up with alternative options, as the authorities here have suggested in the past, and define its position on assistance in the current phase of the struggle against terrorism.

ROBERT HILL, DEFENCE MINISTER: Our special forces are now being withdrawn and the Government hasn't made any decision to contribute in any other area at this time.

DANA ROBERTSON: The PM insists the troops' homecoming has nothing to do with the increased domestic terrorist threats.

JOHN HOWARD, PRIME MINISTER (RADIO 2UE): I mean, obviously they will be here and, if they were needed for that or for any other purpose overseas again which the Government thought they should be deployed to, then they could be deployed, but that is not the reason they're being brought home.

DANA ROBERTSON: The talk of other overseas deployments again raising the spectre of war with Iraq.

CHRIS EVANS, SHADOW DEFENCE MINISTER: So we've been doing contingency planning about Australian forces being involved in an invasion of Iraq?

GENERAL PETER COSGROVE, CHIEF OF DEFENCE: I would say that any issue involving our people working with the Americans has been predicated absolutely on the fact that there is no commitment.

DANA ROBERTSON: The Opposition's adamant the army's job is at home.

SIMON CREAN, OPPOSITION LEADER: We've got to secure our nation, its citizens, and we've got to play a more integrated role in our region because that's where the bigger threat to us is now.

JOHN HOWARD (RADIO 2UE): If we were to make a decision, then it would not be such as would prejudice immediate defence and national security value.

And I've said that the sort of contribution we made in and around Afghanistan seemed to me to meet that test.

DANA ROBERTSON: While the increased terrorist threats aren't officially the reason for bringing the SAS home, the PM's clearly aware of the disquiet the Government's warnings have caused -- Mr Howard proposing an advertising campaign to explain just what "increased vigilance" means.

He wants people to be more aware.