Digger shot dead during Afghan raid

Defence chief Angus Houston insists that progress in Afghanistan has never been stronger, despite the death of another Australian soldier.
Sapper Rowan Robinson, 23, was shot and killed on Monday during a raid on an enemy munitions dump, making him the fourth Australian casualty of the past fortnight and the 27th since fighting began a decade ago.
As with the deaths of fellow diggers Andrew Jones, Marcus Case and Brett Wood, it has again prompted a debate about Australia's continued involvement in Afghanistan.
But Air Chief Marshal Houston was quick to douse calls for an immediate withdrawal, arguing that coalition forces had just had their "most successful winter ever".
"Why would you pull out when you are making the best progress you've ever made?" he told reporters in Canberra.
"You've got the Taliban completely disrupted and on the back foot.
"We need to stay the course."
Sapper Robinson, who was on his second deployment to Afghanistan, died after being caught in an 80-minute firefight with a "sizeable" insurgent force.
He was part of a special forces team that discovered a big munitions cache in the northern Helmand province containing 70 anti-personnel mines, rifles and bomb-making equipment.
But the soldiers were immediately fired at from two locations and Sapper Robinson was hit.
He was given immediate first aid at the scene and evacuated to Tarin Kot in less than an hour but died from his wounds.
Fellow soldiers described the highly decorated combat engineer as a "superb young man who was fit, happy-go-lucky and a great team member".
"Those who had the pleasure of meeting him instantly warmed to him, and his easy-going nature made him popular with his peers and chain of command alike," a defence statement read.
The Sydney-based soldier will be repatriated home to his family - his parents, sister and two brothers - shortly.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard said Sapper Robinson's death would no doubt test Australia's resolve to remain in Afghanistan but the government would not waiver.
"I can promise you this - Afghanistan is not an endless war and it is not a war without a purpose," she said.
"The soldiers on the ground believe we are winning - they can point to progress."
Australia Defence Association boss Neil James said it was wrong to call for a withdrawal every time a soldier died.
It was a sentiment backed by Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, who said that no war was casualty-free.
Sapper Robinson's death comes as the annual summer fighting season, which last June saw Australia lose a comparable five soldiers in a fortnight, gets under way.
"People shouldn't react to casualties as a sign of failure," Mr James told Sky News.
"In this case, they should look at them as a sign of progress. Look at the comparative casualty rates."
He accused Australians of being disengaged with the war in Afghanistan and only focusing on the mounting casualty rate.