by Jak Webb in Australia
The release of the Brereton Report into war crimes by the Australian Special Operations Task Group in Afghanistan has predictably resulted in the Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, deciding he needed needing to work from home. Morrison, affectionately known as Scummo, has been trained, like other neo-con leaders in the Western world, answer embarrassing problems with a short statement, no questions and then retirement behind a smokescreen.
The investigation was started four and a half years ago, after sociologist and defence consultant, Samantha Crompvoets, was given evidence by service personnel that murders of innocent civilians had occurred and her report to defence chiefs was leaked to national newspapers.
Culture of secrecy
The culture of secrecy meant there was a drawn-out investigation by Defence Chief, Brereton, who had to compel witnesses to cooperate. The second part of his report, actual eye-witness accounts, has been entirely redacted so as not to “expose gruesome information that could traumatise or enrage the public“.
Apparently, one incident, in 2012, is “possibly the most disgraceful episode in Australian military history“.
The incidents that have been revealed in the Brereton report are appalling. According to the Guardian, camera footage from helmet cam footage has shown soldiers shooting dead unarmed Afghans in a field. “Whistle-blowers, both Australian and American, have accused special forces soldiers of brutalising and killing Afghans in repeated incidents, including allegedly to make space in a helicopter”. There are reports of rookie special forces soldiers being ‘blooded’ by being urged to kill non-combatant Afghans or prisoners. It is clear that there have been the most brutal and murderous acts perpetrated by Australian forces. What is not clear is what the consequences and punishments will be.
Chinese release of photograph
Is it a coincidence that before closing his front door, Scummo made a grave speech about how dreadful the evidence is, only for a few days later a Chinese diplomat to release a ” fake” photo of a soldier holding a knife to a child’s neck? One general has recommended that compensation be paid immediately to affected Afghani families, even before going through the usual legal processes.
The news and discussion on the usually robust Australian Broadcasting Corporation media channels have been subdued. An interview on the main radio news channel, the Shadow Labour Defence Minister failed to challenge the government response. In fact, the Labour spokesperson was so poor, he could have been the Defence Minister speaking on behalf of the Lib/ Nat coalition government itself! The journalist spoke in hushed and gentle tones. Apparently, the media is co-operating with preventing the trauma and outrage of the public!
Australia for the White Man
The whole history of “Australia” is one of colonial conquest based on racism.
The White Australia policies, from the very inception of the Federation of States – “Australia for the White Man” – continue to influence Australian identity today. The ethnic cleansing of the First Nations Peoples from initial invasion, underpinned by eugenics theories, also meant they were not counted as human, but as flora and fauna. The Stolen Generations were supposed to have bred out the “coloured” by the third generation, whilst the rest were to die off quietly. Chinese workers were restricted from entering in numbers. The general White population were regaled with propaganda, maps and cartoons to engender White paranoia about the threat of being swamped by “coloureds”.
The Labour and trades union movements were also underpinned by hostility to non-White workers. The slogan of the then Labour leader, Arthur Calwell, “Two Wongs don’t make a White” played well in 1960. Citizens with Mediterranean heritage are known to this day as “wogs” and some supermarkets continue to sell “coon ” cheese in spite of their post-BLM ‘transformed attitudes’ (apparently it is very difficult to change the name in eight months). This country might be multi-cultural, but the cultural hierarchy is very clear.
Imprisoned for petty crimes
The colonial flag-wavers yell “Get over it” at the Traditional Owners of these lands, as the violent outrages against their communities continue at federal and state level. Children aged ten are imprisoned for petty crimes which in their communities are called ‘sharing’, like riding someone else’s bike. The crimes against the Traditional Owners are on a level beyond the comprehension of people outside of this continent.
At the same time, the sentimentalised worship of the armed services is becoming increasingly embraced as central to an Aussie identity that isn’t British. Anzac Day, commemorating Australian/New Zealand armed forces, is as big as Christmas, when most families rise at dawn to attend a mass-gathering to commemorate “The Fallen”. Students, on their gap year are expected to visit Anzac memorials as part of their European Tour. The War Memorial in Canberra is a huge tourist attraction, with a museum and shop where you can stock up on all things poppy-related: earrings, tea-sets, everything can be poppified. Teddy bears in soldier uniforms are big sellers.
Identity ingrained for generations
The contribution to fighting by Aboriginals and other not-Whites can be found in special areas. Assimilation is to be commended by the White Supremacists.
With this identity ingrained through generations, it is hardly surprising that no- one, and least of all the politicians, wants to challenge the very icon of Aussie identity, of ‘mateship’ and the defence of Oz culture against the surrounding threats.
The RSL (Returned Servicemen League) Club is a central feature of Aussie life. Some are huge, multi-functional buildings, serving alcohol, food, live performances and propped up by massive rooms of “Pokies” (slot machines) and banks of screens for gambling on the horses and dogs. At 6pm each night, the last post sounds, everyone stands, and “We Will Remember them” is played over the tannoy. This is big business, to sustain the shareholders with the jingling pockets of the elderly and vulnerable.
Vietnam veterans ignored
We remember the dead soldiers of the two World Wars, but they put a romantic gloss on it. Less romantic are the estates of varied sheltered accommodations for retired service personnel and their partners. Like soldiers who returned from Vietnam, who no-one wants to remember. They are in those places, alcoholics and drug addicts, with mental health issues. All nursed until they die out of sight and uncelebrated. Another massive elephant Australia won’t see.
The special unit that has been investigated for war crimes in Afghanistan will not only not be celebrated, it won’t be referenced in the War Memorial Museum. It is to be wiped from history. Scummo is also known as “Scotty from Marketing” and he knows all about ‘disappearing’ inconvenient truths.
Labour leadership fear their ‘Brexit’
The Labour leadership have no mileage in challenging the government over the role and organisation of the armed forces. They think it would be their “Brexit”, only worse, because there would not even be a comfortable middle-class to soften the blows coming in from all angles!
The next few years, however, will be more turbulent than Australia has experienced since the sacking of Labour Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, by the British Queen in 1975. The recession has been coming for at least four years before Covid-19 forced the government to implement some economic cushions for a middle-classes suddenly jobless, with huge mortgages and businesses going under in unprecedented numbers. Scummo is trying to balance the hardliners against the more pragmatic government ministers.
Australia last had a short recession in 1990/1, so there are several generations who have suddenly discovered that capitalism doesn’t always deliver its promises. With the crises of many families made homeless by the bushfire last summer, the farmers hit with the double whammy of climate change and no slave-labour overseas travellers to pick fruit and vegetables, the people in most states have returned Labour state governments in elections this year. They have been grateful for defensive border closures against the railing of Scummo.
Scummo followed Trump
To add to the domestic crises, having backed Trump in blaming China for Covid-19 ( because anti-China sentiment is good to keep bubbling for the Liberal National Party), Scummo has set off a trade war that he can’t get control of. The ban on Huawei being involved in setting up 5G has hit hard here. China takes 32% of Australian exports. China is daily extending huge tariffs on Australian products. The latest is on barley, at 80%, the same day that the farmers are celebrating a very successful crop! Wine and beef are also affected.
China is now warning their students not to come to “racist Australia” and the propaganda war is increasing. Whether or not the photo released by China of the soldier laughing as he holds a knife to a child is fake or not, this is a crisis that won’t go away, whilst Scummo stays home and builds another chicken shed.
Families can’t pay mortgages
The Labour Party should be coming out fighting with an economic programme that gives people hope. Many have used their “Super” [superannuation or pension payment refunds] just to pay for daily living this year so they have little or no pensions saved. Families can’t pay mortgages and rents. Students have university debts and no jobs to fund them. The First Nations communities face even more impoverishment as NGOs and individual donors to social service organisations tighten their belts.
The youth have shown leadership in the last year, coming together Black and White to campaign forcefully on Climate Change and Black Lives Matter. If the Labour Party cannot or will not take up the challenge to offer an alternative to capitalism, they will be pushed aside by this new force for fundamental change.
December 3, 2020
