20 Apr 2008

Um... What About Iraq, Kevin?

Surprise? No mention of the Iraq War in any of the 2020 Summit news items, and the initial report (pdf) only talks of our need to succeed in a global ‘war for talent’. It would appear that this critically important issue was not even discussed, despite the fact that the Security discussions included people like Peter Cosgrove.

Instead, our "best and brightest" just skirted the issue. The group discussing AUSTRALIA’S FUTURE SECURITY AND PROSPERITY IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING REGION AND WORLD made three top recommendations including this:
"To foster a reputation as an effective global citizen, including through making an active and innovative contribution to the resolution of global challenges."
That sort of language is obviously open to any kind of interpretation you want to imagine, particularly in the current Orwellian climate. The devil, of course, is in the details, which include a desire to:
"Reaffirm our commitment to working in international institutions and to the international rule of law."
Well, that sounds good. So will we now confirm our commitment to the Geneva Convention by admitting our culpability in War Crimes, handing those responsible over to the International Criminal Court, and holding a Royal Commission to uncover any relevant evidence?

How do we build a bright future for our children when we are still militarily and politically bogged down in this tragic foreign policy debacle? How do we move on as a country when we refuse to even acknowledge our lingering present, let alone our recent past?

Half the planet now view us as US lackeys and war criminals. A million Iraqis are dead.

We cannot ignore this - we need a Royal Commission into our country's role.