The decision by the Australian government to abruptly close our embassy in the Afghan capital of Kabul brought to mind a disturbing aspect of our involvement in that totally unnecessary war.

Our long overdue troop withdrawal, but more importantly the abrupt and unforeseen embassy closure, has exposed thousands of Afghans we employed to retribution at the hands of the Taliban, who view them as traitors.

As The Saturday Paper wrote: "This is a sad end to a terrible saga."

Closing the embassy in Afghanistan with no warning sparked concern from the American and Afghan governments.

They have pointed out it will spark panic among other allied countries and further undermine security.

More to the point, it puts Afghans who have helped or worked for our embassy or our military forces at risk from Taliban reprisals, with their death being the most likely outcome.

Afghan sources have told The Saturday Paper they were blindsided by the decision. "It will have a very negative impact," one Afghan government source said. "It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy."

Foreign Minister Marise Payne visited Afghanistan 15 days before the embassy announcement. She did not mention the impending closure.

Another consequence of the embassy closure comes from Australian war crimes investigators, who have it will further impede their ability to gather evidence in the wake of the Brereton report, which found 25 Australian Special Forces soldiers were allegedly responsible for the murders of 39 Afghans.

The embassy closure further jeopardises the safety of Afghan staff who worked for Australia, both for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade at the embassy, and for the ADF in Kabul and at now-closed military bases in the country's south.

Thousands of Afghans have worked as interpreters, security guards and in intelligence and other roles throughout 20 years of war.

While some have been resettled in Australia, many more have not.

A growing number of serving and former Australian military officers, diplomats and bureaucrats fear unless more is done, those Afghans who worked alongside Australians and kept them safe will be in extreme danger.

They argue Australia has both a moral responsibility and a strategic imperative to offer safe haven.

Former chief of army Peter Leahy is among those who say these Afghans should be evacuated: "Australia must not abandon them to their fate with the Taliban."

For Labor's foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong, ensuring Afghan translators were resettled was the right thing to do.

Greens immigration spokesman Senator Nick McKim said visas should be provided to all locally engaged staff who requested it.

He told Crikey: "People who have risked their personal safety on behalf of this government should be offered protection by this government. It is the least we can do."

Refugee Council of Australia vice-president William Maley said: "When one has a whole stack of elaborate procedures including security checks in Canberra, there's a high likelihood that those in greatest danger will get caught."

But the actual process for settling these staff is as cumbersome and bureaucratic as the situation in Afghanistan is volatile and dangerous.

Closing the embassy, of course, means that our Afghan workers will not be able to call on staff to help them with the very complex paperwork.

Hugh Jeffrey, a Defence first assistant secretary, explained to Senate estimates that Australia would simply continue to process locally engaged employees as it always had.

The problem with Australia relying on the same process to resettle Afghan employees is that, thus far, the process has been a mess.

Application forms are long, confusing and in English. There is also a shortage of forms.

As well as a clear, accessible and very speedy visa application process an urgent evacuation is needed.

All this is yet another example of the government being unable to get things right.

As with the vaccine roll-out, Sco Mo & Co have demonstrated a staggering level of incompetence that in previous times would have prompted resignations.

But this sorry mob seems to have completely abandoned the principle of ministerial responsibility.