| DIDN'T VOTE FOR WAR? |
…NEITHER DID THE SENATE |
Did you know that the Prime Minister can decide to send Australia to war without the consent of the Parliament? The Democrats demand the consent of the Parliament before going to war!
Did You Know?
| > |
The Prime Minister can send our troops to war without the support of the United Nations, the Parliament or the people. |
| > |
The Howard Government was the first Government in our history to go to war without Parliamentary support. Future governments can do the same! |
| > |
The Senate voted against the decision to commit Australian troops to war in Iraq at almost the same time as the bombs began to fall on Baghdad. |
| > |
War against Iraq was illegal without United Nations Mandate. |
Democrats Take Action
The Australian Democrats have introduced a Bill into Parliament which will place the responsibility for the decision to send Australian troops to war overseas, with both Houses of Federal Parliament, instead of just in the hands of the Prime Minister and cabinet. The Democrats first proposed similar amendments to legislation in 1981.
When Will It End?
More than four years ago Iraq was declared a 'mission accomplished' by President Bush. He was wrong and since, almost 4,000 US troops have lost their lives. Iraqi civilians continue to be killed at a rate surpassing that during the war. Security and stability for the Iraqi people have not been restored.
Why The Australian Democrats Opposed The Iraq War
| > |
All reasonable avenues of peaceful resolution were not exhausted. |
| > |
Hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians have been killed and maimed with many more likely to die from a lack of food, water and health facilities. |
| > |
No case was made that Iraq was a threat to any other nation, was responsible for terrorist acts in the United States or Bali, or that weapons inspections or the policy of containment were not working. |
| > |
War against Iraq was illegal without United Nations mandate. |
| > |
The doctrine of preemptive strike puts at great risk the international rule of law. |
| > |
Experienced military and diplomatic personnel warned against both starting a war and Australia's involvement. |
| > |
This war has increased Australia's vulnerability to terrorist and extremist attacks and will make it more difficult for us to work cooperatively with countries in our own region in preventing terrorism. |
| > |
The war and its aftermath is likely to cost Australia around $1 billion. |
Why We Must Assist With Aid
| > |
The Australian Government's promised aid to Iraq is meagre compared to the cost of our military involvement there. |
| > |
The Iraqi people need assistance to rebuild governance structures and re-establish their nation as a full member of the international community. |
| > |
Australia should participate in mine-clearing and peace-keeping under the auspices of the United Nations. |
| > |
While we welcome the end of the brutal regime of Saddam Hussein, this war is unlikely to foster lasting peace in the region. We now need to restore not just the rule of law in Iraq, but the rule of law internationally. |
| > |
Australia should dramatically increase its spending on aid and humanitarian assistance around the world, including in our own region. Investment in peace is much more sustainable than in war. |
How We Can Promote Peace
The Democrats support our troops but not the decision to send them to Iraq.
The Howard Government was the first in Australia's history to go to war without Parliamentary support. Don't let the Rudd Government become the next! The Democrats have introduced legislation requiring Parliament's consent before Australian troops can be committed to overseas conflicts, except for normal peacetime activities and emergencies.
Australia must adopt a more independent foreign policy and work more closely with countries in our own region and with the United Nations, rather than rely so heavily on our alliance with the US.
Australia must promote global disarmament of weapons of mass destruction.
|
