Fallen diggers 'respected' soldiers

2 Sep 2012, 6:27 am   -   Source: AAP

The three diggers gunned down earlier this week were all based at Brisbane's Gallipoli barracks and on their first deployment to Afghanistan.

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The diggers killed by a rogue Afghan soldier this week were all on their first tour of duty to Afghanistan.

The Brisbane-based soldiers were named on Saturday as Penrith-born Lance Corporal Stjepan Milosevic, 40, Sapper James Martin, 21 from Perth and Private Robert Poate, 23, who was born in Canberra.

Their identities were revealed shortly after Liberal backbencher Mal Washer sided with federal independent MP Andrew Wilkie who said politicians have blood on their hands for allowing Australian troops to remain in Afghanistan.

Dr Washer believes Australia is only involved in the conflict "to appease the Americans".

"Andrew says we might have blood on our hands," he told ABC Radio.

"Certainly, I feel like that it's on my hands and that's why I speak out against this. This is utter stupidity."

As well as the three diggers shot dead at a patrol base on Wednesday night, two special forces soldiers died in a separate incident on Thursday morning when a US Blackhawk helicopter crashed.

Mr Wilkie said on Friday the five soldiers "died unnecessarily" and Prime Minister Julia Gillard and her predecessors Kevin Rudd and John Howard "all have blood on their hands".

Dr Washer says after 10 years it's evident the task of training the Afghan army had failed.

"We haven't been too successful when they start shooting us," he said.

Lance Corporal Milosevic, who leaves behind a wife and two children, was a "much liked and respected" crew commander of a light armoured vehicle.

"He was a highly qualified soldier with a strong future," Defence said of the digger who served in Iraq in 2010.

Sapper Martin was on his first ever deployment after joining the army in early 2011. He completed his combat engineering course 12 months ago.

"Sapper Martin was an intellectual soldier who was a quick learner and adapted well to the army environment," Defence said in a statement.

The 21-year-old, survived by his mother, brother and sister, played bass guitar and was an AFL fan.

Private Poate, survived by his parents and sister, enlisted in 2009 and was also on his first tour.

He was initially posted as a rifleman before completing specialist training as a protected mobility vehicle commander.

"Private Poate had a reputation for creating mischief without getting caught and was proud of his family, his military service, his Canberran origins and his red hair, which he vehemently defended as being strawberry blond," Defence said.

All three soldiers were deployed to Afghanistan in June with the 3RAR taskgroup.

Senior Liberal Christopher Pyne was quick to dismiss Dr Washer's controversial remarks on Saturday.

"We don't want to send a message to our opponents, the Taliban, or anyone who promotes terror around the world, that if they kill our Australian soldiers we'll lose heart and leave," Mr Pyne told Sky News.

The frontbencher said Mr Wilkie's comments were "completely inappropriate" but he was less critical of Dr Washer.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton telephoned Ms Gillard on Saturday morning to offer her condolences.

"The prime minister and the secretary agreed on the vital importance of ISAF (international forces) and the Afghan government taking the strongest possible measures to reduce the risk of insider attacks on coalition forces," Ms Gillard's spokeswoman said in a statement.

Seven Australians have now died in so-called "green on blue" attacks by Afghan soldiers.

The latest perpetrator, Hek Matullah, has been pursued since Wednesday, when he scaled a fence and ran for his life after he opened fire on the diggers with an automatic weapon.

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