"Pre-emptive strike" means endless war

The policy of "pre-emptive strike" adopted by the US leadership is the 
next step in US plans for world domination. It is a policy of aggression 
and tears to shreds the Charter of the United Nations which the US and 
Australia are pledged to uphold.

The Charter declares that: "All Members shall settle their international 
disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and 
security, and justice, are not endangered." (Article 2.3)

"All members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat 
or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence 
of any state..." (Article 2.4)

The Australian Government is the first and, so far, only Government in the 
world, to have endorsed the US policy of aggression. Defence Minister 
Robert Hill declared that "we are no longer waiting for attacks" and that 
the US will not allow a lack of support to "constrain" its options.

Australia has for some time been tied to the US war chariot by the ANZUS 
alliance and military facilities and bases in Australia. The spy base at 
Pine Gap is in continuous operation and is a key element in US war 
preparations. It is essential to US nuclear war fighting strategy.

In January of this year the Bush Government presented its Nuclear Posture 
Review which includes plans to use nuclear weapons against China, Iraq, 
Russia, North Korea, Iran, Libya and Syria. In doing so George W Bush has 
revived the spectre of nuclear annihilation.

The US Government is also preparing to resume nuclear testing at Nevada, 
thereby abandoning a ten-year-old moratorium on nuclear tests.

At the same time, the US Space Command says its mission is "dominating the 
space dimension ... to protect US interests and investments".

Senator Hill's endorsement of US plans not only indicate disregard of the 
United Nation's Charter and the UN Security Council but disregard of the 
opinions and security of many other countries.

A great deal of media attention has been directed against Iraq, preparing 
public opinion for an attack on that country. But, there is not a shred of 
evidence that Iraq was in any way involved in the attack on the World Trade 
Centre.

Nor is there any evidence that it has or is preparing weapons of mass 
destruction. UN weapons inspectors have certified that Iraqi weapon 
stockpiles were effectively destroyed following the Gulf War. Not that such 
evidence would constitute a justification for launching another war on 
Iraq.

But Iraq does occupy a strategic location and has immense publicly owned 
oil reserves. The occupation of Iraq would be of assistance if the US is to 
go further in any future assault against Iran, a country that has also been 
put on the US "axis of evil" list.

The most recent Australian Government White Paper on Defence lists in order 
of priority the defence of Australia and then issues that may arise in the 
Asian-Pacific region. Endorsement of "pre-emptive strike" signals an 
abandonment of that policy commitment. The new policy declares that 
Australian troops will chase targets around the globe together with US 
military forces.

Will Australian forces be now sent to the Philippines or engage in "first 
strike" attacks on Indonesia or Malaysia or Korea or Libya or, eventually, 
China? One's mind boggles at this endless war scenario that is the logical 
result of US policies.

Australia is not a major international power, no matter how much Howard 
struts the Washington platform and grovels at the feet of US leaders. 
Irrespective of the huge sums being spent on building up the military 
forces Australia will remain only a smaller force while pretending to be a 
world power.

The Government's policies are being justified by acceptance of the lie that 
the hands of US leaders are clean in connection with the terrorist attack 
on the World Trade Centre. More and more US citizens are questioning the 
explanations given by US Government leaders and it is now clear beyond 
doubt that Bush and other Government leaders knew of the impending 
terrorist attack and did nothing to prevent it.

By hyping up the war fervour and ever new allegations of threats of 
terrorist acts — the anthrax scare, the supposed threat to blow up the 
Brooklyn Bridge in New York, and the most recent allegations that a US 
citizen was planning to make and explode a "dirty bomb" — are part of a 
continuing effort to divert attention from the truth.

There is no evidence to link these "threats" with Iraq or any other country 
but they are used, and will be used again and again, to justify US policies 
and the Australian Government's support of them.

Many Australian people see the situation differently. A day after the 
announcement of the Australian Government's support of the US line, not a 
single letter writer to the Sydney Morning Herald, supported the 
Government.

One correspondent wrote: "As usual the Howard/Hill duo is busy kowtowing to 
the United States".

"Is it only terrorism when 'they' do it but a pre-emptive strike when 'we' 
do it?", questioned another.

A third wrote: "Senator Hill's remarks make me despair of my Government and 
question its right to represent me. We are not at war with Iraq. Iraq did 
not attack the US on September 11. To link a proposed US attack on Iraq 
with that terrorist attack is wrong. That act was a crime. Our crime would 
be a pre-emptive attack on Iraq."

Green's leader, Senator Bob Brown, in a media release, said the Howard 
Government is "replacing independent foreign policy with a cringe 
mentality" and that "this policy opens the way to a large number of 
Australians being sent to Iraq, Iran or North Korea in the coming months or 
years if President Bush invades in a pre-emptive strike."

The June Council meeting of the NSW/ACT Independent Education Union called 
on the Howard Government to "pressure the US Government to abandon its 
nuclear first strike policies and to fulfil the 'unequivocal undertaking' 
it made in 2000 'to accomplish the total elimination' of its nuclear 
arsenals.

It called on the Government to "end its support for the American 
Government's aggressive and destabilising nuclear policies".

In a comment to The Guardian, Peter Symon CPA General Secretary, 
said that: "'pre-emptive strike' is pure and simple aggression against 
independent countries. The Australian Government has become a party to 
tearing up international law and will be judged accordingly as time goes 
on.

"The Government is implementing the interests of the big corporations and 
their efforts to globalise the economies of all countries under their 
control.

"'Pre-emptive strike' is a very shortsighted policy that is not in 
Australia's interests now or in the future.

"We insist that the Australian Government uphold United Nation's procedures 
and the UN Charter. Any other course spells anarchy in international 
relations and endless conflict and wars. That may be good for the arms 
manufacturers but it is a recipe for disaster for millions of people 
including the Australian people.

"Australia will never be safe from these criminal military adventures until 
we break free from the ANZUS alliance", concluded Peter Symon.