Craig Hill Media and Consulting
Afghanistan
On this day (Australia): In 2002, John Howard said that Australia would begin withdrawing its 150 commandos from Afghanistan
On 20 November 2002, Australian Prime Minister John Howard said that Australia would begin withdrawing its 150 commandos from Afghanistan later that month. The Australian contribution to the war in Afghanistan has been known as Operation Slipper (2001–2014) and Operation Highroad (2015-2021). Australian Defence Force (ADF) operations and the size of the forces deployed have varied and ADF involvement has included two major … Continue reading
On This Day In Australia: In 2001, the Tampa crisis began when a boatload of refugees, mainly from Afghanistan, sent out a distress call
At dawn on 24 August 2001, a 20-metre wooden fishing boat, the Palapa 1, with 438 (369 men, 26 women and 43 children) mainly Hazara from Afghanistan, became stranded in international waters about 140 km north of Christmas Island. On 26 August, Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) Australia, which had been aware of the vessel’s distress, possibly through Coastwatch surveillance, requested all … Continue reading
Australia’s defence forces must gear up for South China Sea, says expert
Naval tensions over territorial disputes in northeast Asia and the South China Sea are nearing the dangerous point where serious incidents or armed conflict could become inevitable, one of Australia‘s most respected strategists says. Paul Dibb, key architect of the defence of Australia strategy, will warn in a speech to a naval conference this week … Continue reading
Australian navy to protect sea lanes to China, Japan and South Korea
Protecting the massive resources projects in northern and Western Australia and export supply lines to China, Japan and South Korea will be a major Defence priority for the Abbott government. New Defence Minister David Johnston said last night that this was one reason the navy needed highly capable long-range submarines to complement its surface warships. … Continue reading
Australian soldiers said to have cut off dead Afghan’s hands
Australian elite special forces soldiers are being investigated over claims they cut the hands off at least one Afghan insurgent’s body to identify him by his fingerprints. A ”potential misconduct” investigation against members of the Special Operations Task Group centres on claims that soldiers amputated the hands and took them back to their base to … Continue reading
People smugglers hit hard by Australia’s Papua New Guinea solution
Kevin Rudd’s Papua New Guinea solution has bit savagely in west Java, where Afghan asylum seekers have immediately begun telling people smugglers they are cancelling their planned boat trips to Christmas Island. After the Prime Minister’s announcement, it did not take long for the news to circulate in the mountain-top resort city of Cisarua, where … Continue reading
Indonesia frees Australia’s most wanted people smuggler; allowed to return to Afghanistan
Australia’s most wanted people smuggler has been set free by an Indonesian court and granted his wish to return home to Afghanistan. The South Jakarta court ruled on Thursday that Sayed Abbas, 30, who was accused of being a smuggling kingpin, could not be extradited as requested by the Australian government. Chief Judge Pranoto said … Continue reading
Australia needs to prepare offensive cyber capabilities
Australians under attack in some future war may be able to call in cyber specialists able to infect an enemy aircraft with a Trojan horse virus and force it to land or to crash, its pilot helpless to intervene. That’s one reason, says national security specialist Des Ball, that Australia needs to develop its own … Continue reading
Australia sees China and US both central to future
Whoever wins the next Australian election will need deftness and subtlety in managing Australia’s foreign relations. This year’s Lowy Institute Poll indicates that Australians want a strong relationship with the US, are wary of China but think we should be able to maintain good relations with both countries. Three in four Australians choose China ahead … Continue reading
Australian military police stop Afghan prisoner transfers because of mistreatment
Military police at Australia‘s detention centre in Afghanistan were pressured to make prisoners more “pliable” by gagging them, depriving them of sleep and denying them exercise. Sources with first-hand knowledge of the detention centre at Tarin Kowt have said that senior officers from Australia’s special forces, as well as the “force exploitation team” – defence … Continue reading
Australian troops in Afghanistan at risk of final Taliban assault
Australian forces in Afghanistan face a risk that insurgents will try to inflict casualties before they depart at the end of the year, Defence Minister Stephen Smith says. Mr Smith says the Australian task force has now consolidated in their base at Tarin Kowt, ending operations alongside Afghan troops. Under current plans, the main Australian … Continue reading
Afghan women tricked into spying on Taliban for US, Australian forces
Afghan women were tricked into spying for NATO-led forces after being lured in under the auspices of a fake aid program, a former espionage chief has revealed. Provided with phone credit and sewing and embroidery supplies, the women believed that they were being helped to start a small business. But their contact point, a female … Continue reading
Many Afghans held by Australian troops are falsely accused
More than half the almost 1900 Afghans detained by Australian forces in Oruzgan may have been innocents falsely accused by local enemies , according to the province’s chief of police, Matiullah Khan. They were named so their enemies could gain advantages in tribal, business or personal disputes. Asked about the numbers first put forward by … Continue reading
Defence force chief confirms death of two Afghan boys involved Australian soldiers
Defence force chief General David Hurley has offered his condolences to the families of two boys, aged seven and eight, killed during an incident involving Australian soldiers in Afghanistan. It is alleged Australian soldiers were responsible, but General Hurley says it is “premature” to determine how the incident occurred or who was responsible. Defence is … Continue reading
Australian Prime Minister looks to East Asia, digital threat, in new security strategy
Julia Gillard has waved a final goodbye to the so-called “9/11 decade”, heralding a new age dominated by threats of cyber espionage and traditional great-power conflict. Like her centre-left contemporary Barack Obama, she is moving her party away from the preoccupations her predecessor – Middle Eastern conflicts, ballooning defence and intelligence budgets, an incessant focus … Continue reading
December 24 1979 Soviet tanks enter Afghanistan
On December 24th 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, under the pretext of upholding the Soviet-Afghan Friendship Treaty of 1978. As midnight approached, the Soviets organised a massive military airlift into Kabul, involving an estimated 280 transport aircraft and three divisions of almost 8,500 men each. Within a few days, the Soviets had secured Kabul, … Continue reading
November 2 1982 Truck explosion kills 3,000 in Afghanistan
On November 2nd 1982, a truck exploded in the Salang Tunnel in Afghanistan, killing an estimated 3,000 people, mostly Soviet soldiers travelling to Kabul. The Soviet Union’s military foray into Afghanistan was disastrous by nearly every measure, but perhaps the worst single incident was the Salang Tunnel explosion in 1982. A long army convoy was … Continue reading
June 8 2012 China Daily Mail Headlines
China invites Afghanistan to join Shanghai bloc as observer Posted by China Daily Mail ⋅ June 8, 2012 ⋅ 1 Comment The Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) – a bloc comprising China, Russia and four Central Asia countries – accepted Afghanistan as an observer yesterday as it ended two days of talks in Beijing. Member states also … Continue reading
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