Nov. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Kevin Rudd committed Australian troops to Afghanistan “for the long haul” as he addressed soldiers on a visit to the war zone in the country’s south.

Rudd paid tribute to the 11 Australian personnel who have died in the conflict in a ceremony marking Remembrance Day yesterday and said “their sacrifice will not be in vain.”

“We in Australia are here for the long haul,” Rudd told forces, according to Australian Broadcasting Corp. footage. He also held talks with the U.S. chief of NATO operations in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, who wants more manpower for the mission, the ABC said.

The overnight trip follows comments by Australian Defense Minister John Faulkner last month, who said he was examining how to speed up completing the training of local forces in Afghanistan. U.S. President Barack Obama yesterday met with security advisers and military commanders as he determines whether to commit more troops to the war.

McChrystal wants to add as many as 40,000 personnel to a U.S. force that’s scheduled to number 68,000 by the end of the year, including 21,000 that Obama authorized earlier this year.

Australia has about 1,500 soldiers based in southern Uruzgan province. As well as training the fourth brigade of the Afghan National Army, Australia has special forces in the country fighting a resurgent Taliban and is involved in logistics operations for NATO.

Australia hasn’t set a date for the withdrawal of its forces.

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said the government hasn’t received a request from the U.S. to send more troops to Afghanistan and isn’t considering reinforcements.

Smith told Sky News today the government believes the current Australian deployment is the appropriate size.

“We do not want to be there for ever, but there is an important job to be done,” he said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Angus Whitley in Sydney at awhitley1@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: November 11, 2009 19:56 EST