Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

War: not in my name

By Kellie Tranter - posted Thursday, 18 December 2008


Does the Rudd Government intend to adopt the recommendations made by Amnesty International on pages 23 and 24 of its report? If not, why not?

War in Afghanistan

As if our involvement in Iraq was not, by Prime Minister Rudd’s own admission, bad enough, it seems that we will continue to “up the ante” in Afghanistan. For what? For whom? For how long? If another million people die will the cost of continuing be too high?

In mid 2008 the population of Afghanistan was more than 32 million people. This year Prime Minister Rudd said "... We must learn from Australia's experience in the lead-up to going to war with Iraq and not repeat the same mistakes in the future". Is that not precisely what we are doing by continuing our military involvement?

Advertisement

The Howard government claiming to act on a “feeling” that something is the right thing to do is very different from the Rudd Government doing something “knowing” it is the wrong thing to do. In view of those matters would you please confirm:

(a) What strategies have you put, or are you putting, in place in Afghanistan to avoid the mistakes of Iraq?

(b) Is the Rudd Government committed to ensuring that civilian deaths in Afghanistan are and will be accurately recorded and reported to all Australian citizens?

(c) Have our intelligence sources looked at who is selling weapons to the “the terrorists”? Who is?

(d) Has the Rudd Government done a thorough and proper analysis of the difficulties faced by the British during the First, Second and Third Anglo-Afghan Wars and the Russian loss of the Soviet War in Afghanistan (1978-1988)? Please see link to the National Security Archive.

(e) Is the Rudd Government aware of the recent warning given by Britain's most senior military commander in Afghanistan, Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith, that the war against the Taliban cannot be won?

Advertisement

(f) In September Admiral Mike Mullen, the top military officer at the Pentagon, told a Congressional committee that US and international forces are not winning the war in Afghanistan and that “... We cannot kill our way to victory”. Does the Rudd Government agree with this view? If not, why? If so, why Australia's continued military involvement?

(g) What benchmarks have been set for victory or defeat in Afghanistan? How will the Rudd Government and we Australians know when victory has been achieved? Will it be the raising of a single white flag? Will it be the complete withdrawal of Afghani people from their own country? Will it be the handing over of the keys to Afghanistan’s natural resources? Will it be the death of another million people or more? Or, is the plan for us to simply wait until we are told that our services are no longer required? As importantly, what is the benchmark for failure?

Conclusion

Whatever happened to Australia having not just acceptable, but respected, standards, Mr Smith? Australia once had some international respect as a country that did the right thing, but are we not now seen as doing no more than lip service to morality? To reason? To common sense? To the insistence on basic freedoms? To human and economic fairness?

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. Page 4
  6. 5
  7. All


Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

48 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Kellie Tranter is a lawyer and human rights activist. You can follow her on Twitter @KellieTranter

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Kellie Tranter

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Photo of Kellie Tranter
Article Tools
Comment 48 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy