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Source: Breakfast
Australia's soldiers fighting Taliban militants in Afghanistan
are up in arms, over Dutch food.
A special team of Australian military cooks had been rushed to
Afghanistan to produce "Aussie food" after scores of soldiers
complained about the Dutch-run mess at Tirin Kot military base, in
southern Uruzgan province, parliament was told.
"I think the issue is that it's not Aussie food, it's European
food. It's true that people have been quite strong in their views
about the European food," Australia's military commander Air Chief
Marshal Angus Houston told lawmakers at a special defence budget
hearing.
Australia, a close US ally and the largest non-NATO contributor in
Afghanistan, agreed in April to boost troop numbers to around
1,550, including a combat group and special forces soldiers.
Most of the soldiers are fighting alongside Dutch forces leading
coalition efforts in Uruzgan, although Special Forces commandos
have their own Australian cook.
"I think it was an insult to them," Senator David Johnston told
Houston of the Dutch-supplied food, which many of the 800
Australian soldiers have complained lacks freshness and
taste.
"The least they could expect when they are deployed for six months
is that they can eat proper food," Johnston said.
Houston said the Dutch-prepared food was generally nutritious, but
was not as fresh as Australians were generally accustomed to in
their diets.
"We listen to our people. Our people have indicated that they'd
like some Aussie food," Houston said.
