The Australian military's key tactic in Afghanistan of going...

The Australian military's key tactic in Afghanistan of going after Taliban leadership is likely only to produce greater animosity on the ground, an Australian academic said.

Professor Amin Saikal, director of the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies at the Australian National University, said the United States and its allies missed their main chance at the outset through not deploying enough troops.

"On the other hand the US and Australia are going to remain very much focused on hunting the Taliban leadership," he told Network Ten.

"I don't know how they are going to really make a distinction between who is precisely a Taliban leader and who is not a Taliban leader.

"The more Taliban leaders they kill, the more animosity they are going to create on the ground."

Professor Saikal said Australian troops would face a very difficult mission, providing security for Afghan people who were also beset by poverty, poor education, health and unemployment.

http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/afghan-mission-may-produce-animosity/20071415-7lg.html