Australia Strips Commanders' Medals Over Alleged War Crimes

Marles' decision to strip these medals demonstrates Australia's commitment to accountability for those who bring shame to the country's military. These officers can't retain their honors — awarded for leadership in combat — when they're morally responsible for what occurred under their command. Removing medals for unlawful behavior will send the message that when one person conducts an unlawful behavior, it stains the entire unit.

The fact that honored top commanders have been let off the hook and aren't facing 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 hasn't been let down by its senior officers and 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.