Written 04/02/2010
The Medical Association for Prevention of War today supported calls for an independent inquiry into Australia’s involvement in the Iraq War.
MAPW President, Dr Bill Williams, said: 'It's time to quiz the men and women who sent Australians to war in Iraq: let us scrutinise their reasons: Were they valid? Was our intelligence accurate? Was our participation legal? Can we protect our national interests more effectively?"
"If the Dutch, the British and the American public can scrutinise their leaders’ path to war, why can't we? We owe it to our soldiers and their families - and ourselves."
A recent Age editorial and a major piece in the Canberra Times have argued for an Australian inquiry, in discussing the UK’s Chilcot inquiry which aims to obtain “a reliable account of the UK’s involvement”, and lessons for the future.
"The invasion of Iraq was opposed by the parliamentary Opposition and by the majority of ordinary Australians. As predicted by our organisation and many others, it was a humanitarian disaster with many negative long-term regional and international legacies. A formal commission of inquiry could help us avoid unnecessary, destructive and counter-productive military engagements in the future" said Dr Williams.
An inquiry could inform Australia of the following:
• How and on what basis, the decision to join the invasion was made
• How could this decision have been averted?
• Has Australia’s participation broken Australian or international law, or breached our treaty obligations?
• Are individuals, including the former Prime Minister, legally culpable?
• How can such decisions be prevented, and democracy and transparency guaranteed, for the future?
• What have been the implications of our participation?
See MAPW media release
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