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March 12th, 2013 
David Schulberg the 3rd
AUSTRALIA’S withdrawal from Afghanistan is set to become much easier with the removal of equipment overland through Pakistan.
The route, which previously carried the bulk of fuel and supplies for coalition forces in Afghanistan, was closed following an incident in 2011 in which US aircraft mistakenly attacked a border post, killing 24 Pakistani soldiers.
It is now being reopened, although vehicle convoys could still face insurgent attack.
Australia plans to withdraw significant numbers of personnel by the end of the year.
It also has started withdrawing some of the equipment accumulated in more than a decade of conflict.
Defence force chief David Hurley said the task force was thinning out some non-essential equipment, which was the normal military thing to do.
General Hurley said US and UK forces had successfully used the route – considered the best way to transport large and bulky items to the port of Karachi.
Over the years, defence has accumulated 275 vehicles, weapons, radar systems, 600 shipping containers plus 1300 valuable Drehtainer armoured modules used for accommodation and workspaces inside Afghanistan.
Already it has withdrawn a significant amount of equipment by air, including 16 ASLAV armoured vehicles.
The government has yet to decide on the future of Australia’s Middle East base at the al-Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates.
General Hurley said the base would still be needed through the next four of five years.
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