Australia Strips Commanders' Medals Over Alleged War Crimes
The Facts
Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles has stripped several serving and former military commanders of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) of their medals over alleged war crimes on their watch in Afghanistan.
Marles' announcement in parliament on Thursday comes after the 2020 Brereton Report found "credible evidence" that the ADF commanders unlawfully killed 39 people during the war in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2021.
The Spin
The Brereton Report neither found evidence that the commanders were aware of the alleged war crimes nor focused on troops directly accused of the murders. It's unfair to penalize high-ranking officers for an alleged unlawful act unseen and unknown to them or committed by junior recruits. This decision is a betrayal of the courage, leadership, and sacrifice of soldiers on the battlefield. Punishment of any kind should be administered only after the officer in question is found guilty by a court of law.
While the commanders' misconduct is a source of national shame, Marles' decision to strip their medals clearly demonstrates Australia's commitment to accountability. These officers can't retain their honors — awarded for leadership in combat — when they are morally responsible for what occurred under their command. Removing the medals is a courageous thing for the government to do, and will send the message that when one person conducts an unlawful behavior, it stains the entire unit.
The fact that the top commanders, including Australian Defence Force Chief Angus Campbell — who received a Distinguished Service Cross for overseeing Australian troops in Afghanistan — had been let off the hook and didn't face the prospect of having their medals stripped shows that responsibility and accountability don't reach far enough up the chain of command. The Australian military isn't let down by its senior officers or their subordinates but by a lack of moral courage at higher headquarters.
More than 39K Australians served in Afghanistan, and they don't deserve to be painted as war criminals. This decision will significantly strain the veterans, especially soldiers who weren't involved in alleged war crimes. Additionally, the timing of Marles' decision — which comes just days after the Royal Commission's findings into the startling rate of veteran suicide were released — is insensitive, atrocious, and cruel. It's a bloody spat at the feet of the thousands of young recruits who fought terrorism on a foreign country's behalf.