‘Do we need more troops in Iraq or a genuine strategy for phased withdrawal and genuine Iraqi self-determination?’ The Revd.Dr.Jon Inkpin, on behalf of the Decade to Overcome Violence initiative of the National Council of Churches in Australia, today voiced the dismay and deep concern of many Christians over the recently announced Federal Government decision to send an extra 450 troops to Iraq.
‘Whilst’, he said, ‘our thoughts and prayers continue to be with Australian military personnel wherever they are posted, and with the people of Iraq as they strive to work towards a just peace, those involved in the worldwide Decade to Overcome Violence can only view this increased Australian military involvement as deeply worrying.
The sending of more troops, we believe, is a backward step. It sends the wrong signal to the Iraqi people and to many others in the Middle East and wider world, and compounds the many errors perpetrated by the so-called ‘coalition of the willing’ in Iraq.
Indeed we fear that this step will take Australia deeper into the military mess and further down the road of geo-political mistakes to which the US Government appears so tragically to be committed.
This enhanced risk of lives and huge expense of millions of dollars in military action is but the latest example of the scandalous waste of money and human beings in the pursuit of a misconceived strategy.
After the recent Iraqi elections, what is primarily needed is rather a process of constructive withdrawal, strengthening and empowering Iraqi people to take control of their own destiny.
We further deplore that this decision has been taken so soon in the life of the re-elected Howard Government, when the Australian people gave no mandate for an escalation of such dangerous military adventurism.
We deeply regret that the Prime Minister again offers no apology for the misleading path on which he has led the nation over Iraq and we call for a statement from him regretting past mistakes and outlining the Federal Government’s strategy for Australian withdrawal and the self-determination for Iraq.
If this decision is genuinely to support reconstruction in Iraq, then debate over a timetable for withdrawal is urgent.
The NCCA consistently spoke out in opposition to the decision to go to war in Iraq and continues to affirm the need for a fresh commitment to nonviolent means of conflict resolution, and investment in multilateral peacebuilding at all levels. ’
For further information: Contact the Revd Dr Jon Inkpin at the NCCA Tel: (02) 9299 2215 mobile: 0410 583013
