Australia suffered its first combat fatality in Afghanistan, when a soldier was killed by a roadside bomb. There are about a thousand Australian troops in Afghanistan, where Australian forces have been active since 2001. But these operations are not politically popular back in Australia, and the loss of a soldier in combat is expected to lead to the withdrawal of Australian troops from Afghanistan.
First, it is amazing that this was the first combat fatality in Afghanistan for Australia. The Australians deployed there are darned good, but this is the first KIA? Wow.
Second, and more importantly, it is amazing that a great nation like Australia could be sent running by the loss of a single volunteer soldier.
And over their role in the "good war," too.
Like I've written, the anti-war side here would be hostile the Afghan campaign if they didn't need to pretend to support it in order to oppose the Iraq campaign while feigning resolve to defend our nation. Indeed, in the summer when they briefly thought they could legislate surrender in Iraq, the bolder members of the Defeat Caucus began to turn their sights on Afghanistan. We don't hear much of them, now, of course.
But our left is hopeless. I expect nothing of them. They are a dead weight we must haul around while trying to defend ourselves.
But what on Earth has happened to the people Down Under to wobble over a single combat death? This is not the attitude of a serious nation.
UPDATE: Stu F. writes that his country is not as wobbly as the Strategypage post suggests. This was Australia's second KIA in Afghanistan and the commitment to fight there is actually shared by the opposition party:
The tragedy prompted a temporary lull in political hostilities, with leaders from both major parties pausing to offer condolences to the trooper's family.
John Howard said the nation's love and sympathy was with the family of the slain soldier.
The Prime Minister told reporters in Hobart that the trooper's death had not been in vain.
"The operation in Afghanistan involves resisting brutal terrorism. It's a just cause," Mr Howard said.
Kevin Rudd joined Mr Howard in offering his sympathy to the family and said a Labor government would consider boosting troop numbers in Afghanistan.
"But we will make that judgment based on what defence resources we have at the time," the Opposition Leader said.
He said the Afghanistan deployment drew on Australia's alliance obligations with the US in a way Iraq did not.
Strategypage called this one wrong, it seems. Australia is solid on this score.
The world is not turned upside down, after all (from my vantage point, of course).
