Australian military probes "rumours" of possible war crimes in Afghanistan

 

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australia’s military watchdog has issued a public plea for information regarding rumours of possible war crimes committed by Australian troops in Afghanistan.

 

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported in July on an alleged cover-up of the killing of an Afghan boy as well as hundreds of pages of leaked defence force documents relating to the secretive operations of the country’s special forces.

 

On Friday, the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force released a statement saying it was conducting an inquiry “into rumours of possible breaches of the Laws of Armed Conflict” by Australian troops in Afghanistan between 2005 and 2016.

 

“The inquiry would like anyone who has information regarding possible breaches of the Laws of Armed Conflict by Australian forces in Afghanistan, or rumours of them, to contact the inquiry,” the statement read.

 

Australia is not a member of NATO but is a staunch U.S. ally and has had troops in Afghanistan since 2002.

 

As recently as May, Australia recommitted to the 16-year-long, seemingly intractable war against the Taliban and other Islamist militants by sending an additional 30 troops to Afghanistan to join the NATO-led training and assistance mission.

 

That brought Australia’s total Afghan deployment to 300 troops.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-09-02

War itself is a crime committed by politicians. Soldiers shouldn't be investigated for carrying out orders ie killing the enemy. There are no rules in war, you win by whatever means. Pause to decide what's right or wrong and you're dead.

 

Yes, I have been on active service and no, I never killed anyone, but I do know that battlefield acts can't fairly be judged in a civilian court of law.

 

33 minutes ago, jesimps said:

War itself is a crime committed by politicians. Soldiers shouldn't be investigated for carrying out orders ie killing the enemy. There are no rules in war, you win by whatever means. Pause to decide what's right or wrong and you're dead.

 

Yes, I have been on active service and no, I never killed anyone, but I do know that battlefield acts can't fairly be judged in a civilian court of law.

 

Local media has provided more detail. Some Australian armed services members are being investigated for the murder of unarmed civilians. As mentioned above investigations headed by the military, not a civilian Court.

2 minutes ago, spspace said:

I pity the victim. 

 

กฏหมายจราจร

 

 

Why have you written "traffic laws" in white font in Thai after your post?

On 9/2/2017 at 2:41 PM, jesimps said:

War itself is a crime committed by politicians. Soldiers shouldn't be investigated for carrying out orders ie killing the enemy. There are no rules in war, you win by whatever means. Pause to decide what's right or wrong and you're dead.

 

Yes, I have been on active service and no, I never killed anyone, but I do know that battlefield acts can't fairly be judged in a civilian court of law.

 

 

We don't know the circumstances and contexts these investigations might reveal; or indeed the motive for instigating them.

 

I agree with you that "battlefield" acts, and any acts "in action" are very difficult to judge in a civilian court of law.

 

But non battlefield murders of civilians, or other acts against military law aren't.

 

All depends on the circumstances.