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Good Riddance Bin Laden - But West Hypocrisy Continues

1st June 2011
by Brian Boyd, VTHC Secretary

The US, Britain and some European powers have been ‘welcoming’ democratic revolutions in the Arab world. But only if they can manage them to have the ‘right’ outcome.

There have been no qualms about throwing Mubarak to the wolves, after decades of loyal service to their policies. Air strikes in Libya – no problem. What about Syria? Ok that’s different! What about Yemen? We’ll see. What about Saudi Arabia? No comment.

Back in early March the International Criminal Court's (ICC) Chief Prosecutor in The Hague, Luis Moreno-Ocampo said he had concluded a preliminary investigation into war crimes ‘allegedly’ committed in Libya over the preceding three weeks. Fast work. Two months later the ICC asked for warrants for Muammar Gaddafi, his son Saif al-Islam and the country’s intelligence chief Abdullah Senussi for crimes against humanity in suppressing anti-government protests. Fair enough. Most ordinary people will naturally oppose any government suppressing its people for protesting in the streets.

But again, what about Syria? Where is the ICC? What about the others, like Mubarak?

Let’s get serious about war crimes. What about US activities in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Forget about a loser like Bin Laden. Let’s talk about the hundreds, if not thousands of civilians killed by remote control! In recent times, according to media reports, there have been nearly 250 CIA drone strikes in these countries with up to 2300 people killed.

These are carried out by a handful of technicians in a far away control centre using spy satellites, the GPS and so called ‘analysis’ based on intelligence information that is not and never will be publically tested.

Even the compliant regimes of Afghanistan and Pakistan complain bitterly about the innocent civilian cost of these strikes. These nation states are simply ignored.

The Commander of Military forces in Afghanistan for years, General David Petraeus has said “sorry” on numerous occasions. It has been emphasised in the media the General is even making a “personal apology”.

On Tuesday 1^st March 2011 for example nine Afghan children were killed (along with many others) in a drone strike. Petraeus said in a press statement: “These deaths should never [have] happened and I will personally apologise to President Karzai”. The General said he would order his air crew to be “rebriefed” on the need to keep civilian casualties “to the absolute minimum”.

Clearly these are all admissions to war crimes by any definition. Where is the ICC? By all means go after Gaddafi but surely the independence and credibility of the ICC are surely on the line, when a blind eye is turned to the slaughter of civilians in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Recently Australian troops escaped charges over the deaths of children in Afghanistan. The raid on a ‘suspect’ house was apparently based on ‘intelligence’ received from another Afghan. The information was false. Someone simply had it in for the father whose children were killed in the Australian operation. It is reported that the Australian forces are now ‘looking for’ the person who told them a lie! Big deal. Is this a way to conduct a war?

On Monday 23 May 2011 Sgt Brett Wood was killed in Afghanistan. At the Victorian ALP State Conference at Monash University on Saturday 21^st May 2011 Prime Minister Julia Gillard said “we will prevail in Afghanistan” and that the US is “a force of good in the world”.

After Sgt Wood was blown to pieces the Prime Minister said to the media: “This is a very difficult day for the nation…there will be some who despair and wonder why we are there in Afghanistan…” Meanwhile, ongoing Defence Chief Angus Houston rejects the idea that recent attacks “are linked to the death of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden…we haven’t seen…anything in Afghanistan at all related to the death of bin Laden”.

The problem with Houston’s candour is that Australia went into Afghanistan with the US to hunt down bin Laden and punish the Taliban for not handing him over after the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon in September 2001. If bin Laden is dead, why are we still there?

When will this war for war’s sake end?