Our Politicians are all too willing to send us off to fight other - TopicsExpress

Our Politicians are all too willing to send us off to fight other people’s wars in the naive hope that they can gain great and powerful friends. They cloak themselves in the glory, of battle honours hard won by others, but they are most unwilling to accept their long term responsibility for the returned crippled, disfigured, blind and insane. During the First World War, Australia’s fifth Prime Minister Andrew Fisher pledged to fight to the “last man and the last shilling” (he did not count himself in that of course). Bob Menzies, on September 3rd 1939 said, “Britain has declared war on Germany and, therefore, Australia is at war”. He did this without consulting his Cabinet, which did not necessarily agree that after the First World War, Australia needed to blindly follow Britain. John Curtin recalled Australian troops from the European theatre to defend Australia in the Pacific, much against the wishes of the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who argued that Australia was expendable and the priority of the entire British Empire should be to defend Britain. Later, in 1950 and concerned that the UK had decided to send troops to Korea and that an announcement was imminent. The Country Party leader and Deputy PM, Arthur Fadden was determined to get in first and make an immediate announcement that Australia would be committing ground troops (Menzies was sailing to New York from London). The decision was made without consulting Menzies (or the rest of the Cabinet) and broadcast on ABC radio an hour before the British announcement. Once Menzies was informed, he brazenly told the US Congress that he expected British and New Zealand troops soon to be joining Australians and Americans in fighting the communists in Korea. Prime Minister John Howard, told cabinet we were off to war, no ‘ifs ’or ‘buts’. The question of who decides for Australia apparently is, by default, left in the hands of one man. It is a foul, foul obscenity that cynical, manipulative old men can still today send boys into harm’s way to address the failures of leadership, policy, diplomacy and the incompetence of these same spent men. I have written, over time to both sides of politics, preferring the people should decide by vote, but realistically asking for a joint sitting of both houses, to debate and legitimise any any decision. Unfortunately both positions are the same, and I quote. “The Prime Minister and Cabinet, who are ultimately responsible to the Australian Parliament. This process is constitutionally valid and has been followed by successive Australian governments. Prior to exercising executive authority, the Prime Minister may elect to have parliament debate the issue or arrange a popular vote. Alternatively, he or she need not consult parliament or the people prior to exercising this authority and in that case the full Cabinet or the National Security Committee of Cabinet may ultimately make the decision. The Governor General, as Commander in chief of the ADF, is then informed and by convention must follow that decision. The Government, consistent with the views of previous governments, regard this long-standing constitutional practice as appropriate”. It is up to us, the people of Australia, to insist that the parliament (both houses sitting jointly, not just the executive) decides if we go to war and recognises it has the duty to provide ongoing psychological and health support for veterans, their wives and families.