As the hunt continued for the rogue Afghan soldier who shot three Australians, Ms Gillard said Australia was in "a state of shock" but an early withdrawal would create a security vacuum across Afghanistan.
"I really feel that Australians were yesterday and today not only in a state of shock and sadness and grief ... but they are wanting to clearly understand why we are still there and what we are doing that matters so much for our nation," Ms Gillard said.
"After all that we have lost and all that we have been through in Afghanistan, I cannot countenance leaving before the mission is completed.
I cannot and will not countenance giving a strategic victory to people who have made it their work to kill Australian soldiers." Australia's military suffered its worst day yesterday since the Vietnam War, with two soldiers dying in a helicopter crash just hours after three soldiers were shot dead by an Afghan soldier at a patrol base. The killer, Sergeant Hekmatullah, was stationed at the patrol base in Oruzgan province last month after a five-month induction course in Kandahar.
"We are not yet aware of any relationship he has with the Taliban," said Australia's Chief of the Defence Force, David Hurley.
"There are many factors that drive members of the [Afghan National Army] to conduct these attacks. Some have been subverted by Taliban, some are members of the Taliban and others are purely cultural disagreements." In April, Ms Gillard brought forward the withdrawal of most of Australia's 1500-odd troops by a year – saying the mission has "an end " – though she has been a staunch supporter of the war. Most of the troops are due to leave by the end of 2013.
Australia's commitment is backed by the opposition but has grown increasingly unpopular as the death toll has mounted. The deaths yesterday prompted calls by The Greens and several media commentators to call for an immediate withdrawal.
