SYDNEY (AFP)
Australian infantry soldiers are ashamed of their low-risk missions in Iraq and Afghanistan and are scorned by troops of other nations, two officers have charged in comments published Tuesday.
"The restrictions and policies enforced on infantrymen in Iraq have resulted in the widespread perception that our army is plagued by institutional cowardice," Major Jim Hammett wrote in the Australian Army Journal.
Australia contributed troops to both the U.S.-led invasion and occupation of Iraq but their roles have been limited, with no soldiers killed in combat.
In Afghanistan five Australian soldiers, mainly special forces commandos, have been killed since 2002.
Australia had received "significant political kudos" for its support of coalition operations in both countries but this was not reflected among troops on the battlefields, Hammett said in the official journal.
"Australia's contributions to both Iraq and Afghanistan have been derided and scorned by soldiers and officers alike from other nations who are more vigorously engaged in combat operations," he wrote in the latest edition of the journal.
"The restrictions placed on deployed elements as a result of force protection and national policies have, at times, made infantrymen ashamed of wearing their Australian uniform."
In a separate article, Captain Greg Colton said infantry troops were increasingly frustrated because special forces appeared to be favored for offensive operations.
Australian army chief Lieutenant General Peter Leahy told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation after newspapers revealed the complaints that the nature of war had changed.
"This is no longer infantry wearing red jackets and white cross straps, taking on the army of another king," he said.
"What we're seeing now is that we're required to work in different populations to work to protect, to support and persuade."
The new government elected last November has pledged to pull Australia's 500-strong battlegroup from southern Iraq by the middle of this year.
In Afghanistan, Australia has around 1,000 troops, mostly assisting a Dutch-led reconstruction operation in Uruzgan. |
