SYDNEY (Agencies) - A top strategist has claimed that leaked US diplomatic cables prove the Gillard Government has not been honest with the Australian people about the war in Afghanistan, reports The Daily Telegraph. Professor Hugh White from the Australian National University said the latest revelations from WikiLeaks exposed some of the Governments deep misgivings about the conflict. They quote then-prime minister Kevin Rudd as saying Afghanistan scares the hell out of him. They also quote special envoy Ric Smith describing the situation in the war-ravaged country as a wobbly three-legged stool. Despite the downbeat assessment of officials, PM Julia Gillard and senior ministers have insisted that progress was being made, despite the fact Australia could be there for another 10 years. It always seemed to me that the Government was much gloomier in private than it was in public, Professor White said. The head of the ANUs Strategic and Defence Studies Centre said no one believed the Governments objectives in Uruzgan Province were achievable and it should be honest and admit the sole reason for being in Afghanistan was to support the US-Australian alliance. I have never believed the line about staying for 10 years and I think they will be looking for an exit as soon as possible, he said. The Government should share the truth with the Australian people. Australian Defence Minister Stephen Smith denied the Government had misled Australians, saying that the situation had improved since Rudds 2009 assessment. [The Government] has made it clear from December 2007 that our efforts in Afghanistan are in the national interest. [There has been] no understatement about the difficulties and dangers in Afghanistan, Smith said. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott slammed Rudd for mocking the contributions of allies in Afghanistan such as France and Germany. France has lost 50 and Germany 47 soldiers to the conflict. Australia has lost 21. Mr Rudd is quoted in the US diplomatic cables as accusing the Europeans of organising folk-dancing festivals in the safer parts while Australia and the US were doing the hard stuff in the south.