‘Australians do have a right to know’: Albanese says Iraq war documents should be released
GuardianDec 31, 2023
Australia: Albanese Launches Probe into Missing Iraq War Records
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The Facts
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has this week ordered an investigation into why certain documents related to Canberra's involvement in the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq remain secret.
Hundreds of government documents from 2003 were made public on Monday by the National Archive of Australia after the 20-year secrecy period expired, however, many remain restricted.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The coronavirus outbreak is likely responsible for the administrative oversights that led to the documents linked to Australia's participation in the Iraq war being withheld. The mistake wasn't intentional; let's not waste time and resources in finding a conspiracy when there isn't one.
Establishment-critical narrative
It's disheartening, to say the least, that 20 years after Australia was roped into the Iraq war, the facts of the conflict are still being concealed. These documents may well have been withheld as part of a larger government cover-up — Australians have a right to know why their country entered an illegal war in 2003.
