Months after shutting its embassy in Afghanistan, Australia is considering re-establishing its diplomatic presence, the latest move in a quiet but muddled retreat from a country where we fought our longest military conflict.
In April, Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne announced Australia’s embassy would temporarily close, right after following US President Joe Biden’s move of withdrawing troops by September. This morning the ABC reported Payne is looking at a tentative return, which may involve stationing intelligence officers in CIA headquarters — before possibly bringing back some diplomats.
And just weeks after Australia’s final troops left Afghanistan with a whimper, talk of a diplomatic return would mark another development in a withdrawal that has been too quick, ill thought out, and strategically confused.
Withdrawal a ‘complete fiasco’
Australia’s hasty closure of its embassy was always meant to be temporary. In May Payne confirmed Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) officials would still visit Afghanistan from elsewhere in the region: “It is Australia’s expectation that this measure will be temporary and that we will resume a permanent presence in Kabul once circumstances permit.”
What we know about the tentative return so far suggests it’s not necessarily a backflip — flying in a small group of DFAT and intelligence officials isn’t inconsistent with Payne’s May announcement of a visiting diplomatic presence. But retired army officer Stuart McCarthy, an Afghanistan veteran, says it’s a sign of how Australia’s “rush from the exits” has been a huge blunder.
“What it highlights is … Australia’s withdrawal and how we’ve conducted that withdrawal in conjunction with other allies was a complete fiasco,” he told Crikey.
The government’s justification for re-establishing a presence is that Australia would lack good intelligence on the ground, especially as the Taliban wrestles back control of the country. In June, American intelligence concluded the Afghan government could collapse within six months.
But the ABC’s report reveals the mixed messaging from Australia’s Defence community about the future of Afghanistan in the lead-up to the embassy closure. In May, Defence chief Angus Campbell told the government’s national security committee that Afghanistan’s security profile would rapidly deteriorate after the allied withdrawal. At the same time, he was publicly dismissing fears the Taliban would overrun the country, and talking up the likelihood of a negotiated settlement with American forces. Veterans were alarmed.
McCarthy says the Taliban’s advance, which has triggered the push to re-establish some ground intelligence, didn’t surprise people with experience in the country: “We’ve seen what the Taliban is made of. There was no question in our minds that we would’ve seen the brutality that’s unfolding.”
No plans for local staff
The embassy closure had big implications for Australia’s efforts to process thousands of visa claims made by Afghan local staff who helped the Australian Defence Force during the war and whose lives are in real danger from the Taliban. Returning some Australian staff to Kabul would make it easier to speed up a process where bureaucratic sluggishness and a lack of ground presence has left many people to die.
But there’s no word on whether this would expedite evacuation and resettlement. And even if Australians return to Afghanistan at a vague point in the next few months, it may not be soon enough to protect people.
The ABC reported Payne was reluctant to close the embassy, suggesting there was disagreement within government about how to manage the tail end of the withdrawal. And that confusion only makes it harder for Afghan staff to get protection from Australia.
Labor says the government’s withdrawal lacked proper planning, particularly around local staff.
“The Morrison government withdrew all Australian staff and closed the embassy in Kabul without explaining how it will continue to support Afghanistan’s stability and development,” Labor’s foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong told Crikey. “The minister needs to make up her mind and stop leaving Afghan staff behind.”
Give me just one thing this idiot government has not turned into a debacle.
I am unable to comprehend how the comments by this reclusive minister hold any substance, as they merely parrot off what the USA military tells Australia when and what to do?
It is not beyond good reasoning why the current Foreign Affairs minister depicts herself as a rather large voiceless Australian Parrot.
How about the nil action concerning the repatriation of Afghanistan’s people that had aided Australia’s military presence in the 20-year war initiated by the USA Pentagon war-spooks?
Meanwhile, never any response from her office about the slow genocide continuing in Papua/West Papua at the behest of Indonesia’s ongoing military junta and their military Densus 88 security and anti-terrorist forces.
Almost nil coverage by Australia’s mainstream media, about Australia’s Foreign Affairs strategy office under the direction of this same minister… about Australia’s silence concerning the gross abuse of the human rights of Papua/West Papua’s indigenous population.
Why is this so, and why the talk of further foreign affairs funding to the Indonesian military junta?
I, as an Australian citizen, have nil confidence in this woman engaging in any objective to the benefit of the Australian people and our nation.
Methinks you’re in for further disappointment, William.
Frances Adamson was bad enough at DFAT. But, when you learn she’s being succeeded by another khaki wearing officer in the military (‘serving’- Army Reserve), and the very same woman responsible for Robodebt, well, what can one say.
Maybe they’ll save a little money, by sharing digs with ASPI? Might as well, given that’s where most of the nation’s foreign ‘policy’ comes from these days.
Morrison and his government are well ahead of Billy McMahon’s government in terms of incompetence and John Howard’s in terms of venality. Payne is the most ineffectual Foreign Minister since McMahon was Foreign Affairs Minister
The response from my local member on this issue
Plibersek, Tanya (MP)15:22 (1 minute ago)
Dear Peter
Thanks for your message about the Afghani staff who worked alongside the Australian defence force.
I can assure you that I strongly support the resettlement of the Afghani staff who provided support to the Australian Forces in Afghanistan.
The local staff who worked as interpreters, fixers and guards, served with our Australians forces at incredible personal risk and the Morrison Government must ensure swift visa pathways for these local staff and their family members who have been vital to Australian Government operations.
In many cases these Afghani citizens wore Australians uninforms and helped Australians troops get back home to their families safely. Seeing that these Afghani translators are safely resettled is the right thing to do.
These are friends of Australia and while our coalition allies are making efforts to ensure swift resettlement for these brave men and women, the Morrison Government has offered no real support. They have actually made it more difficult for Afghani support staff to safely resettle by the sudden closure of the embassy in Kabul.
I can assure you that Labor will continue to put pressure on Scott Morrison and Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne to affirm their support for these men and women who helped Australian Government operations at great personal risk.
Thanks again for your message and advocacy on this issue.
Kind regards
Tanya
Well good on Tanya, but why so silent! I would bet she’s not alone in her party with those views. So why are they all so quiet about it! On so many issues over the last year can you imagine if roles were reversed, the libs would be shouting from the rooftops. Labor? Crickets…
When the MSM allows publication.
“Afghan refugee sues Australian government, saying detention prevents him saving his family from Taliban” – headline in Guardian Australia, today.
“The commonwealth has sought to have FGS20’s application summarily dismissed, arguing the application was fundamentally flawed and that the Australian government did not have a legal obligation towards Afghan citizens in Kabul who had not made a claim for protection in Australia.” – from the same article.
There we see the true attitude of the evil rabble that comprises the decision-making class regarding such issues.
“Having arrived in Australia by boat in 2013, FGS20 was sent to Manus Island for offshore processing. His claim for protection was formally recognised in January 2015, government documents show. FGS20 was held in PNG for six years, before being moved to Australia in July 2019 – under the short-lived medevac laws – for medical treatment.”