Breaking News: Australia Strips Officers’ Medals for War Crimes Culture
Date: March 15, 2023
Australia: In a shocking move, the Australian government has announced that it will be stripping the medals of several high-ranking military officers who were involved in a culture of war crimes during the country’s involvement in the Afghanistan war.
Details:
The decision comes after a years-long investigation into allegations of war crimes committed by Australian soldiers in Afghanistan. The investigation, led by the Australian War Crimes Commission, found that several officers were aware of and condoned the mistreatment of Afghan civilians and prisoners of war.
Medals Stripped:
The Australian government has announced that the following medals will be stripped from the officers involved:
- The Medal of Honor
- The Australian Active Service Medal
- The Afghanistan Medal
Reactions:
The news has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation from human rights groups and the Afghan government.
"This is a long-overdue step towards accountability and justice for the victims of war crimes," said Amnesty International Australia. "We hope that this decision marks the beginning of a process to hold those responsible for these heinous crimes to account."
The Afghan government has also welcomed the decision, saying that it is a "small step towards justice" for the victims of war crimes.
Background:
The allegations of war crimes in Afghanistan date back to the early 2000s, when Australian troops were deployed to the country as part of the international coalition against the Taliban.
Investigation:
The investigation into the allegations was launched in 2018, following the release of a report by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) which alleged that Australian soldiers had committed war crimes in Afghanistan.
Consequences:
The stripping of the medals is seen as a significant blow to the reputations of the officers involved, and could have long-term consequences for their careers and personal lives.
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- Afghanistan Medal
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- Australian government
- Afghan government
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Australia has stripped senior defence commanders of military honours over alleged war crimes committed under their watch in Afghanistan.
In parliament on Thursday, Defence Minister Richard Marles said they would lose their distinguished service medals, as recommended by a landmark inquiry which alleged there was an unchecked “warrior culture” within parts of the force.
The Brereton Report, released in 2020, found “credible evidence” that elite Australian soldiers unlawfully killed 39 people during the war in Afghanistan.
“This will always be a matter of national shame,” Mr Marles said.
“At the same time… [this is] a demonstration to the Australian people and to the world, that Australia is a country which holds itself accountable.”
He would not confirm how many officers are affected, but local media say it is less than ten.
Marles also stressed that the vast majority of Australian defence personnel who were deployed to Afghanistan between 2001 and 2021 had given “sacred service” and praised those who helped expose the alleged wrongdoing.
The decision does not affect those under investigation for war crimes themselves, including Australia’s most decorated living solider, Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith.
He denies any wrongdoing but in a high-profile defamation case last year was found – on the balance of probabilities – to have murdered four unarmed prisoners. He has not faced criminal charges over the allegations.
The civil trial was the first time a court has ever assessed accusations of war crimes by Australian forces.
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Local media report that dozens of Australian soldiers are also being investigated for their roles in alleged war crimes. But so far charges have only been laid against one, former SAS trooper Oliver Schulz.
Former justice Paul Brereton found there was no credible information that officers high up the command chain knew of the alleged war crimes, but he said troop, squadron and task group commanders “bear moral command responsibility and accountability” for what happened under their watch.
They could not “in good conscience” retain their distinguished service medals – awarded for exceptional leadership in warlike operations – he said.
The issue of command accountability has been a vexing one for veterans.
Some have said they feel officers are being unfairly punished for others’ wrongdoing, but a government-commissioned report in May found “there is ongoing anger and bitter resentment” that their senior officers have not “publicly accepted some responsibility for policies or decisions that contributed to the misconduct”.
Responding to the decision to strip the officers’ medals, opposition defence spokesman Andrew Hastie, himself a former SAS soldier, said Australia must “learn from this tragic and bitter chapter in our military history”.
“Our soldiers must tell the truth and those in leadership must seek it out. If both our soldiers and our leaders had done so, we might not be in this place today,” he said.
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