ALP wavers on Iraq war

The Howard Government's support for the Bush administration's planed 
first strike attack against and invasion of Iraq will send Australia head-
long into a conflict that will cost thousands of innocent lives, says the 
Australian Greens. Peace groups and the Greens and the Democrats have 
condemned the Government's subservience to the US and its war 
preparations.

Democrats leader Natasha Stott Despoja said: "The Democrats have made it 
clear that we are opposed to a first strike against Iraq."

Demanding that the ALP state their position clearly, the Democrats tabled a 
motion in the Senate last week calling on the Government not to support a 
pre-emptive military action.

But it was defeated when Labor refused to support it.

Labor's response? There would have to be "a clear and unambiguous breach of 
international law" by Iraq before it would support an attack but that it 
will not back the Democrats' position because it would not support 
something that ruled out "military options".

Labor thus has opportunistically played both sides for its own ends, 
leaving the way open for the Government to commit Australia to war.

A statement by a coalition of peace groups said that "it is deeply 
concerning to see our Government going along with a US first strike 
doctrine aimed at Iraq and other countries, and to see our Prime Minister 
and Foreign Minister's unthinking `crusade' against Iraq."

The groups, including Friends of the Earth, the Australian Peace Committee, 
Australian Anti-Bases, People for Nuclear Disarmament, the Campaign for 
International Cooperation and Disarmament and Ozpeace, say that there is no 
legal basis for an attack and invasion on Iraq and that it is the Bush 
administration, not Iraq, that has by far the largest numbers of 
sophisticated weapons of mass destruction.

The Greens in the Senate have given notice of a motion to set up a full 
Senate select committee into the looming war. "There is growing 
international public concern over the proposed dangerous unilateralism of 
George W Bush", said Greens Senator Kerry Nettle.

"The United States does not have the authority under international law to 
launch a strike on Iraq. For Australia to be involved would also be 
illegal."

Among the questions the Senate Inquiry would look into are the potential 
human, political, environmental and other consequences of US military 
action, Australia's involvement, including its history of involvement in US 
military action, and the alternatives to conflict to achieve peace, 
democracy and stability in Iraq and the region.

Denis Doherty, national co-ordinator of the Australian Anti Bases Campaign, 
raised the dangerous role that the US base at Pine Gap in the NT plays in 
US war plans. "Pine Gap is an aggressive targeting base for the pursuance 
of US wars against poor third world countries such as Iraq and 
Afghanistan", said Mr Doherty.

Defence Minister Robert Hill has admitted that the Pine Gap spy base would 
"be utilised in the event of military action against Iraq".

Mr Doherty said that Australia spends millions each year on the more than 
30 US bases in Australia. He pointed out that the Bush administration had 
refused to sign treaties such as agreements on landmines and had pulled out 
of the Anti Ballistic Missile Treaty.

"Aligning oneself so uncritically with such an ally is tantamount to 
support for US militarism" Mr Doherty concluded.