18 October 2007, ABC Radio National, "Australia Talks"
The Fate of Afghanistan
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/australiatalks/stories/2007/2063902.htm
As Australia mourns Trooper David Pearce who died in a roadside bombing in Afghanistan, we look at a dangerous war, and an Australian military contribution, that is supported by all Australia's major political parties.
What effect is the continued military presence in Afghanistan having on al-Qaeda and the resurgent Taliban?
Can the UN-endorsed international coalition win the war in Afghanistan?
Can the democratically elected, but struggling, government led by Hamid Karzai survive?
Can the international community afford to lose this war?
All wars are contests of will — is our will faltering, and if so, is it faltering for the wrong reasons?