Morrison’s vow on maintaining terror alliance

As Donald Trump withdraws US troops, Scott Morrison vows to stay the course in the war against ­terror in the Middle East.

Scott Morrison at the main Australian operations base in the Middle East on Thursday. Picture: AAP

Scott Morrison has vowed to stay the course in the war against ­terrorism in the Middle East, warning that “we cannot be complacent’’ about the threat of a ­resurgence of ­Islamic State, a day after Donald Trump withdrew US troops from Syria and amid ­reports he is planning to draw down ­forces in Afghanistan.

The Australian government statement was released hours after US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis — a member of the Trump ­administration who is highly ­respected in Canberra — announced he was resigning his post.

Mr Mattis cited profound differences with the President, who this week ignored his advice to keep US troops in Syria to fight ­Islamic State.

The future of the 17-year ­coalition fight against the Taliban was thrown into doubt by reports Mr Trump was considering a drawdown of 7000 US troops in Afghanistan, in the wake of his ­decision to pull US troops out of Syria.

A potential Afghanistan drawdown, reported by both The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, would take place in coming months and would halve the US contingent of 14,000 troops.

The Weekend Australian understands there is deep consternation in Canberra about the news, which risks emboldening the Taliban and undercutting the resolve of partner countries to stay the course in Afghanistan.

In a joint statement released hours after the reports emerged, the Prime Minister, Defence Minister Christopher Pyne and Foreign Minister Marise Payne said Australia would continue to hold the line with international partners, including the US and NATO.

“Australia will continue to provide security, humanitarian and development assistance in the ­region,’’ the statement said.

President Donald Trump will withdraw US troops from Syria and Afghanistan.

Australia was consulting ­closely with the US administration on the implementation of its ­an­nounce­­ment of a withdrawal in Syria and its long-term plans in Afghanist­an, it said.

Declaring that Australia was “among the most steadfast of US security partners in Afghanistan and the Middle East’’, the statement said the purpose of Aust­ralia’s mission in Afghanistan had been to support the Afghan government in containing the threat from international terrorism.

“Both the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan and the Global Coalition to Counter Daesh (Islamic State) in Iraq and Syria continue to deny terrorist organisation safe havens in which to plan and export terror ­attacks across the globe, including the Indo-Pacific,’’ the Australian government statement said.

“We cannot be complacent about this threat, including the threat of resurgence by Daesh.’’

It said Australia last month ­reiterated its ongoing commitment to support Afghanistan’s transition to stability and self-­reliance “and welcomes recent progress towards a political ­settlement’’.

Australia continued to ­contribute to efforts to counter ­Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

Peter Leahy, the former chief of the Australian Army, told The Weekend Australian a move to draw down US troops in Afghanistan would be “a strategic ­mistake”.

“With the US being the catalyst of the coalition, I think what we’ll see is many of the other nations get out. I think the consequence for Afghanistan could be dire,’’ he said.

Australian National University head of strategic and defence studies John Blaxland endorsed that view, saying any major withdrawal would embolden the Taliban and diminish the leverage of the ­Afghan government in its ­attempts to reach a settlement with the group.

“It was a stalemate with 14,000 (troops) but if this is the beginning of the end, within a short period of time you’ll see a follow-on reduction if not withdrawal of other coalition partners,’’ Professor Blaxland said.

Mr Mattis’s resignation, which takes effect in February, followed the President’s decision to withdraw all 2000 troops from Syria.

 

In his resignation letter to the President, Mr Mattis in effect said that he could no longer work with a president whose views differed so much from his own.

“Because you have the right to have a secretary of defence whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I ­believe it is right for me to step down from my position,” Mr ­Mattis told Mr Trump in a two-page resignation letter.

Liberal senator Jim Molan, a former deputy chief of operations in Iraq, said Mr Mattis’s departure was a sign Australia needed a self-reliant defence strategy.

“The implications for Secretary Mattis leaving the White House are far, far wider than just the ­effectiveness of the White House … he has generally been referred to as one of the adults in the Trump administration,” he said.

“The implications on Australia are the US, whose military capability has been severely reduced since the end of the Cold War, now has introduced another extreme variable into their ­decision-­making and that must be of deep concern to Australia. The answer must be that Australia must be self-reliant in its defence.”

The departure of Mr Mattis, a former Marine Corps general, is a major blow for the White House, given his experience and moderating effect on some of Mr Trump’s defence and foreign policy.

His letter implied he disagreed with Mr Trump’s handling of alliances during a presidency that has involved many disputes with longstanding US allies.

“One core belief I have always held is that our strength as a nation is inextricably linked to the strength of our unique and comprehensi­ve system of alliances and partnerships,’’ Mr Mattis wrote. “While the US ­remains the indispensable nation in the free world, we cannot protect our ­interests or serve that role effect­ively without maintaining strong alliances and showing ­respect to those allies.”

Mr Trump tried to portray Mr Mattis’s departure as a retirement, thanking him for his service “with distinction” and crediting him for getting other countries to carry their share of military obligations.

About 300 Australian Defence Force personnel are in Afghan­istan supporting the NATO-led mission Resolute Support to help train Afghan forces in their fight against the Taliban. There are 39 countries providing personnel for NATO’s operation.

Additional reporting: Primrose Riordan