SYDNEY, Australia—SAS special forces from Australia are pictured above on patrol in southern Afghanistan. Defense Minister Robert Hill confirmed February 20 that his government will send another 200 soldiers there by July. This will increase Australian imperialism’s troop commitment in Afghanistan to more than 500. About 110 troops will reinforce the 190 Australian commandos already operating with U.S. forces in the mountainous Pakistan border region. Others will be deployed with Dutch soldiers as part of the NATO occupation force.

—RON POULSEN