Canberra Times
A message from the young son of one of the diggers killed in Afghanistan has been read out at his father's memorial service.
Colleagues of the dead soldiers Darren Smith and Jacob Moerland attended a sombre ceremony at their Tarin Kowt base in Afghanistan last night, Australian time.
ABC journalist Chris Masters, who attended the service, said a soldier read out a message from Sapper Smith's son, Mason.
"Probably the most moving part of the ceremony was when [the soldier] gave the last word to 2'/-year-old Mason, who'd sent across a message with a `lest we forget' insignia, and the words "to my daddy, Mason", Masters told ABC Television.
The ceremony was held in intense heat in an aircraft hangar, with 50 degree temperatures outside.
"There was a lot of sweat, but sweat mingled with tears ... this has cut very, very deeply into this tightknit tinit," Masters said.
Another soldier spoke of his good mate, Sapper Moerland, known as Snowtiy.
The bodies of the two soldiers were to be taken to a base in Dubai for a second ceremony last night. They would then be flovni home to Australia.
The Australian Greens have challenged the Federal Government and Opposition to a wide-ranging parliamentary debate on Australia's military commitment in Afghanistan after the latest Australian deaths.
Greens leader Bob Brown repeated yesterday his party's call for the prompt withdrawal of Australian troops, saying that Prince Minister Kevin Rudd and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott should be prepared to set a timetable for Australia to exit the conflict.
"We need a debate on this issue which has never been adequately or properly decided in the Australian Parliament." Senator Brown said.
"I'll be moving next week when Parliament resumes for a full, farranging, decisive debate about the deployment of Australians in Afghanistan.
"Other countries like the Netherlands have decided to withdraw their troops. President Barack Obama has at least got a schedule beginning the withdrawal of US troops next year.
We don't have that in Australia.
"It's complex, it's difficult, but it requires a rethink." Mr Rudd's office has confirmed that condolence motions for Sappers Smith and Moerland will be moved in Parliament next week.
However. Labor sources said the Government was unlikely to accept Senator Brown's call for a general debate on Australia's military involvement in Afghanistan.
"Why should we give the Greens an opportunity to grandstand. They just want to use the issue to differentiate themselves from its, but the public aren't much interested in Afghanistan these days," one Labor strategist said yesterday. "The fact that these young boys will have only just been buried, gives us a pretty good reason to say no to a debate." Mr Rudd reiterated yesterday the Government's determination to continue Australia's military commitment in Afghanistan indefinitely, saying "you can't just walk out of the place". Speaking in Dubai yesterday, Defence Minister John Faulkner said it could take tip the five years to train Afghan military units to take full responsibility for security in (_)ruzgan province.
Mr Abbott also reaffirmed the Coalition's commitment to the war, saying yesterday it was "very important for Australia to pull its weight".
Liberal foreign policy specialist Russell Trood argued that Australia should be prepared to take on a larger role after Dutch forces left Orttzgan. Senator Trood said a larger commitment would be "a reflection of our commitment to the alliance with the United States, even though there would be a greater risk of more Australian lives being lost".
However, one of Australia's most distinguished living soldiers, retired Major-General Alan Stretton, reiterated his previous assessment of Afghanistan as an "unwinnable" conflict, comparable to the Vietnam War.
"What are they going to do if the casualties rise to 20, 50 or 100 ... I feel very strongly about it. After all we've been there nearly nine years and achieved virtually nothing," he said yesterday. with AAP.
By Philip Dorling National Affairs Correspondent