David, within the context of this thread it should be noted that the writer of the link provided is at odds with the first post and still sells the line that the Aussies are naturals at counter-insurgency. It took two years to package that report and quite frankly I think it is no more than a propaganda piece.
Just as in the Brit experience in Afghanistan there is nothing to be learned from anything that has been officially published. Sadly it takes outsiders (journalists) and ex-servicemen to provide the truth of what is going on on the ground.
You picked up an important aspect about pre-deployment training. So if this pre-deployment training was limited by equipment shortages then it would naturally follow that the troops deployed without being fully prepared, yes?
...and these same under prepared (by their own admission) and probably inexperienced troops are then used to 'mentor' the ANA. Something is not right here.
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