Afghanistan: Hatreds that never change

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/

THE ultimate betrayal of the Diggers in Afghanistan is that they are being killed by the brothers-in-arms supposedly fighting alongside them to bring peace and democracy to a devastated country.Afghan troops, who have now murdered seven Australians sent to help them achieve democracy, cannot be trusted to always point their weapons at the enemy, for they are too often the enemy. The shock is not only that they are in the uniform of the Afghan National Army, trained by Australians and allied troops, but that the Afghan Government is quick to deny they are Taliban insurgents who have infiltrated the Afghan defence forces; but rather rogue soldiers. If so, the threat to Australian troops is even more insidious. Whom do you trust? The Taliban cause, although religious fanaticism, can at least be understood. They want to turn the country back several hundred years to the autocratic and unrelenting rule that sees women and children slaughtered because, in a massacre in recent days, they were playing music in a village. Women count for little and boys are more often forcefully recruited by the Taliban and girls used as a human currency. But when Afghan soldiers turn on their allies, the question goes deeper. The answer must be that many Afghans have no wish for foreign soldiers to help them achieve democracy. This is a country that has survived all attempts to help it to find a better way. Soviet forces learnt that when they withdrew after 10 years of trying to impose their own harsh will on Afghanistan. The truth is that after 11 years, Australians together with troops from the United States, Britain and the NATO nations, must be confused, not over what they are fighting for - that is clear enough - but whether many Afghans are really on the same side. Many are, but just as many realise that when the allies leave, they will be left to face the Taliban. It is the grimmest of prospects, but eventually all wars end and not necessarily with a clear victory. Australia has lost 38 soldiers in Afghanistan since 2002, with another 240 wounded in action, including 27 this year. Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who insists the Australian intervention in Afghanistan is working, admits that Australians will today be justified in asking why we are still there. So, what is success in Afghanistan? The answer, bought in blood, is that it will never be a democracy as we know it. Afghanistan has for centuries been a tribal and religious killing ground and, disturbingly, having fought there for so long, the phased withdrawal of Australian and American troops from next year may see a slide back to barbarism. This newspaper has supported our troops in Afghanistan for as long as they have been there, and will continue to do so. They pursued Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida terrorists and effectively drove them out of the country. Bin Laden is dead, but when our soldiers are betrayed by those they are so courageously trying to help, there may be little more that can be done. Afghan forces must prove themselves able to protect their own country. They cannot rely on the unending support of other nations, whose troops they are killing in increasing numbers. This is a reality Afghanistan must face, just as Australia must face the reality that democracy cannot be imposed. That is the antithesis of what a democracy stands for. If Afghanistan wants democracy, its forces must show a desire for it that seems to be fading.