This year’s release of 212 documents sheds light on the pivotal decision by former Prime Minister John Howard to redeploy 150 of Australia’s elite special forces to Afghanistan. Originally slated for a 12-month mission, these soldiers ended up extending their deployment until as late as 2021.

The documents highlight serious concerns, including the risk of casualties and the responsibility Australian troops would bear for managing Afghan prisoners during their detention.

Australian Special Forces remained stationed in Afghanistan for an extended period. Source: AAP / Ramage Gary

In a key submission, officials cautioned, “We recommend against committing special forces to Afghanistan in a dedicated combat role,” underscoring the potential dangers involved.

“We recommend against committing special forces to Afghanistan in a dedicated combat role,” the submission noted.

They argued that a dedicated combat role for Australia’s elite soldiers would achieve neither security objectives nor reconstruction aims.

‘Casualties should be anticipated’

At the time, one Australian soldier had been killed in the line of duty. Australia would ultimately lose 41 soldiers to the war in Afghanistan — the nation’s longest ever.

Warnings around prisoners of war

The SAS would stay for years in what became 20 rotations, involving 3,000 personnel, while Australia’s mission also grew with a ‘Reconstruction Task Force’ deployed in 2006 to Uruzgan province.

Then-prime minister John Howard announced a 150-strong special forces deployment to Afghanistan in 2005. Credit: AAP

However, the submission about the reconstruction team and the information about the decision to deploy them are among eight files that are fully closed from this year’s release.

The National Archives of Australia exempted its disclosure as the item relates to defence strategy and could potentially affect relations with a foreign government.

Defending Australia’s role in Afghanistan

It also found credible information that junior soldiers were ordered by seniors to shoot a prisoner, as part of their first kills, in a practice described as “blooding”.

It also detailed a practice known as “throwdowns” where weapons and radios would be placed next to bodies as a cover.

‘Widest possible context’

“I think it’s important that we’re seen to be responsibly playing our part, and you do so with allies,” he told SBS News in December.

Former attorney-general Philip Ruddock says deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan need to be viewed in context. Source: AAP

Pressed on whether it was the wrong call, he defended Australia’s role in Afghanistan.

“I have seen what the Taliban have done, and there is no way that I think we should be turning a blind eye to some of the very significant human rights abuses that occur in a situation like that.”