In an unprecedented act for an Australian opposition leader, Simon Crean
yesterday stood before 350 troops heading for the Persian Gulf and told
them bluntly: "I don't believe that you should be going."
No leader since Arthur Calwell during the Vietnam War has openly opposed a
military deployment and none has ever said so to the departing troops. Mr
Crean's speech was hailed by Labor strategists as brave and coherent, but
condemned by the Government as inappropriate. But Mr Crean said many
families had approached him after his speech at Sydney's Garden Island,
"saying to me that they were exactly the words they wanted expressed".
"I don't support the deployment of our troops in these
circumstances. I do support our troops and always will, and that
distinction is fundamentally important," Mr Crean told the troops on the
HMAS Kanimbla.
"The men and women of our fighting forces in a democracy are expected
unquestionably to follow to accept the orders of the government of the day.
"You don't have a choice and my argument is with the Government, not you."
Mr Crean then gave a detailed account of Labor's policy position on a
conflict in Iraq, saying the United Nations weapons inspectors should be
allowed to complete their work before the military is mobilised.
The crew on HMAS Kanimbla appeared unperturbed by the Labor leader's comments.
"He still said he supports us, that's what matters," said Leading Seaman
Cathy Pascoe.
Able Seaman Matthew Discombe, facing his first deployment, said he
respected Mr Crean's position. "I thought he was honest, I thought what he
said was pretty much to the point ... but I believe we should be going, for
sure. It's a problem that needs to be dealt with and I believe Australians
should be in there doing our part."
But Able Seaman Brooke Vogler appeared more guarded.
"I've got my personal opinion, but it's not up to me," she said.
"I'm here to do my job."
According to a Labor source, there was some debate within the party
hierachy over whether Mr Crean should turn up to the farewell and what he
would say.
Labor Left figures - some of whom oppose a war against Iraq under any
circumstances - are understood to have urged him not to attend.
While Labor may end up supporting the troop deployment if a military action
is launched under the auspices of the United Nations, Mr Crean's speech
highlighted the deep divisions in the community about the deployment.
Australia's official Vietnam War historian, the Australian Defence Force
Academy's Professor Peter Edwards, said there were some comparisons to the
Vietnam conflict.
Calwell opposed sending the 1st Battalion to Vietnam in 1965, telling
Parliament that Australia would regret it. But, unlike Mr Crean, Calwell
was very much going against the public mood. He fought the 1966 campaign on
the issue and was thrashed by Harold Holt.
It was not until 1969 that public opinion swung against the Vietnam War,
Professor Edwards said.
http://smh.com.au/articles/2003/01/23/1042911493882.html
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