There's much more to the story than Ben Roberts-Smith
Ben Roberts-Smith was awarded the Victoria Cross and the Medal for Gallantry. He and his backers brought a court case for defamation against three newspapers and three investigative journalists (including Nick McKenzie and Chris Masters). The Judge, Justice Anthony Besanko, found that Roberts-Smith was a bully, a murderer and a war criminal.
And there are questions that this affair brings up about all of Australia's military actions overseas. Ben Roberts-Smith, with his defamation case, unintentionally did a great service to exposing the truth about some of the things that went on behind the scenes in Afghanistan. It should lead to many further questions being asked and, hopefully, answered.
Contact: David K. Clarke – © |
IntroductionI had, of course, heard a lot about the Ben Roberts-Smith defamation case, but the single event that prompted me to write this page was the piece on ABC TV's Media Watch that went to air on 2023/06/05.It all goes well beyond Ben Roberts-Smith and the others involved in the court case. There are implications in this saga for:
What are some of the implications from the Roberts-Smith saga?
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Are Australia's soldiers encouraged to hold the truth to be above all, or mateship? Surely any reasonable standard of ethics should hold truth and honesty as a higher priority than mateship. I would argue, and have argued, that to do otherwise is a perversion.
Had there not been other soldiers present at the time who had the bravery and honesty to tell the truth Ben Roberts-Smith might have got away with his crimes and won his defamation case - under false pretences.
Ben Roberts-Smith was a corporal, a non-commissioned officer. The commissioned officers over him must take some responsibility for his conduct and the conduct of the soldiers he served with. As of the time of writing, 2023/06/06, nothing seems to have been said about this in the public media.
The judge found that Ben Roberts-Smith was guilty of war crimes. If so some of the responsibility for those crimes should fall on his commanding officers. Either they knew what Smith was doing and turned a blind eye or they didn't know, but should have known, and therefore failed in their duty. This responsibility would go right up the chain of command - to the top. Will this case lead to war crime trials in the future, and who will face trial?
I repeat, what does the saga say about ethical standards in Australia's military?
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The USA has a long record of immoral meddling in the affairs of other nations. Why must Australia be so quick to follow the USA?
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And Australia followed the USA's lead into Afghanistan, Prime Minister Howard committing our troops in October 2001. When the last Australian combat troops pulled out in December 2013 it seems that no lasting good had been achieved.
Australian troops were involved in:
Will it cast a long shadow over future Anzac Day celebrations?
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Related pagesExternal sites...ABC TV Media Watch, Ben Roberts-Smith defamation case: key findings from the complete judgment, presented by Paul BarryGuardian Australia, Ben Roberts-Smith defamation case: key findings from the complete judgment, by Ben Doherty and Elias Visontay Ben Roberts-Smith, Wikipedia Military history of Australia during the War in Afghanistan, Wikipedia ABC News, Andrew Hastie breaks silence on defence's 'toxic culture' after Ben Roberts-Smith verdict. (Mr Hastie is a Liberal federal MP and served more than five years in the SAS, leaving the service as a captain.
ABC News, analysis: The Ben Roberts-Smith case must force ADF leadership to re-examine Brereton report flagging how unethical conduct can flourish.
On this site...Ramblings on ethics, and a list of my pages on subjects relating to ethicsKilling in peace and war |
IndexOn this page...What effect will it have on Australia's image internationally?Australia's involvement in overseas actions Australia's mindless following of the USA How far up in the armed forces does culpability go? What does the saga say about ethical standards in Australia's military? Freedom of the Press What are some of the implications from the Roberts-Smith saga? Investigative reporting and reporters Introduction Kerry Stokes: for or against freedom of the press? Related pages Secrecy versus open disclosure in Australia's courts Truth or mateship? |