Neither Gillard or Abbott could reveal anything in advance about any trip to Afghanistan by ANY Australian politician or official. Had they done so, it would have been a grave breach of security, to the extend of warranting impeachment.
Above all, such advance news would endanger the lives of the troops. There is a deadly battle being fought here - and not all with guns.
Gillard making such an issue of Abbott after HER visit, and thereby flagging that he intended going, was already in itself a grave breach of security protocol, putting the Taliban on notice that another VIP was due to come in, probably at some time in the near future.
As the Afghan Army itself is being infiltrated by Taliban insurgents, it only needs one tip-off and all hell could break loose.
Disgraceful games playing, one-upmanship and political point-scoring such as that indulged in by Gillard in such cut-throat and dangerous circumstances could have put hundreds of Aussie and US lives at stake.
The Taliban aren't stupid, They have eyes and ears everywhere. For an Australian Prime Minister to play into their hands is a national disgrace. At the very least, she should be censured in Parliament.
And her one-upmanship extends to the way she treats Rudd, who, like him or not, is supoosed to be the Foreign Minister, and who can at least pronounce "Taliban" correctly.
Being appointed Prime Minister of any country is not about personal aggrandisement, it's about rolling up your sleeves and doing your very best for your country, as a paid servant of that country. IT doesn;t mean King, Queen or President. There is a Ministry, and there is a HEAD minister! And that role goes by the name of Prime Minister.
Gillard would do well to get off her "throne" and get to work for the common good for a change.
