[Powderworks] Peter Garrett: Don't mention the unacknowledged war (from ACF)
Lina Yune
midoil2001@yahoo.com.au
Fri, 28 Mar 2003 03:37:16 +1100 (EST)
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G'Day Powdermates,
I am not sure, if this has already been posted, however there is a very intelligent speech made by our Pete on ACF Website : http://www.acfonline.org.au/asp/pages/document.asp?IdDoc=1218
I have it also copied and pasted below, if the link won't work...
...Read about it......
11 March 2003
Peter Garrett: Don't mention the unacknowledged war
"The attempt to convince Australians that a war against Iraq is justified has clearly failed. Despite the enormous quantities of ink spilled by those in favour of war and the unstinting enthusiasm shown by John Howard for supporting US plans to invade Iraq, Australians, as witnessed by the largest rallies seen in this country, have voted with their feet against unilateral invasion. And global opposition to war, despite or perhaps because of the seeming certainty of attack, continues to build.
"Notwithstanding the universal abhorrence of Saddam Hussein and the onslaught of US diplomacy, Australians have not been persuaded to support carpet-bombing Baghdad. Neither have a majority of UN states, or key members of the Security Council, or a growing number of world citizens who simply don't agree that pre-emptive war-making is acceptable foreign policy.
"In the middle of debate about the legal force of existing resolutions concerning war, it has been forgotten that without compelling evidence of Iraq having the means or the willingness to attack the US, or Australia for that matter, it is UN Article 2(4) - the right to self-defence - that is most at risk. The right to self-defence is the linchpin in the suite of rights nations have and are obliged to respect.
"One critical aspect of the US positioning on Iraq is the accompanying threat to use nuclear weapons in response to any chemical or biological attack. Again, this position is clearly illegal under international law. The full impact of this policy change is only now being appreciated. Coupled with US withdrawal from the anti-ballistic missile treaty, which saw Russia pull out of START 11 and China announce an upgrade of its nuclear capacity, the world is now veering off the path of constructive arms control and disarmament to one where tactical nuclear weapons are being readied for use and a second arms race is on the cards.
"There has already been use of weapons with depleted uranium in the first Gulf War, raising anxiety about the long-term consequences to human health and groundwater systems. A "bunker busting" bomb made with DU was first detonated on a site in Kandahar in Afghanistan, where preliminary medical tests revealed uranium contamination on human populations 100 times the normal level. Any use of nuclear weapons as contemplated by the new US doctrine would seriously magnify this kind of damage.
"The environment on which people rely for their livelihood is also in peril. The first Gulf War saw massive oil spills, the poisoning of groundwater, extensive pollution of the coastline and half a billion tonnes of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by burning oil wells. This 'unacknowledged war against an undefended earth' is never mentioned in the context of armed conflict; no public plans exist to address the devastation of nature that inevitably follows.
"As more light is shone on the dark face of war-making, so it becomes clear that it is neither an acceptable nor effective means of ensuring security, other than in the most extreme circumstances. And, horribly, with each war the proportion of civilian casualties continues to mount; 5 per cent in World War I, up to 90 per cent in Vietnam. Once the figure reaches 100 per cent in the next war or the war after that, then where do we turn?
"And while effective international containment of Saddam is clearly needed, when will the energies of the rich and powerful be extended to addressing the pressing challenge of creating genuinely equitable and sustainable development that bedevils the global community?
"Surprisingly, it was British Prime Minister Tony Blair who last Monday called for a new international covenant. "There will be no lasting peace while there is appalling injustice and poverty, no genuine security if the planet is ravaged by climate change," he said. The silence across the oceans from his two main allies was deafening.
"By making the link with the call to invade Iraq, Blair went a bridge too far. But his commitment to reduce greenhouse emissions by 60 per cent by 2050 gives notice of what nations can do to rein in the clear and present danger of climate change that will heavily affect the poor. And, in the absence of any real dialogue about making a better world, is it any wonder people are deaf to the call for war?"
Peter Garrett is president of the Australian Conservation Foundation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you care about this issue find out what else you can do to help ACF's campaign activities.
Please note: Whilst all attempts have been made to ensure that information within this document was correct at time of publishing, it may have gone out of date subsequently.
Lina
---------------------------------
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<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><FONT face="Courier New">G'Day Powdermates,</FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Courier New">I am not sure, if this has already been posted, however there is a very intelligent speech made by our Pete on ACF Website : <FONT face=Arial><A href="http://www.acfonline.org.au/asp/pages/document.asp?IdDoc=1218">http://www.acfonline.org.au/asp/pages/document.asp?IdDoc=1218</A></FONT></FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p>I have it also copied and pasted below, if the link won't work...</o:p></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p>...Read about it...... </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Courier New"></FONT></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Courier New"></FONT></o:p> </P>
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<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Courier New"><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:date Month="3" Day="11" Year="2003">11 March 2003</st1:date><o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Courier New"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Courier New"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT><FONT face="Courier New"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Courier New">Peter Garrett: Don't mention the unacknowledged war<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Courier New">"The attempt to convince Australians that a war against <st1:country-region><st1:place>Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region> is justified has clearly failed. Despite the enormous quantities of ink spilled by those in favour of war and the unstinting enthusiasm shown by John Howard for supporting US plans to invade <st1:country-region><st1:place>Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region>, Australians, as witnessed by the largest rallies seen in this country, have voted with their feet against unilateral invasion. And global opposition to war, despite or perhaps because of the seeming certainty of attack, continues to build. <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Courier New"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Courier New">"Notwithstanding the universal abhorrence of Saddam Hussein and the onslaught of <st1:country-region><st1:place>US</st1:place></st1:country-region> diplomacy, Australians have not been persuaded to support carpet-bombing <st1:City><st1:place>Baghdad</st1:place></st1:City>. Neither have a majority of UN states, or key members of the Security Council, or a growing number of world citizens who simply don't agree that pre-emptive war-making is acceptable foreign policy.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Courier New"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Courier New">"In the middle of debate about the legal force of existing resolutions concerning war, it has been forgotten that without compelling evidence of Iraq having the means or the willingness to attack the US, or Australia for that matter, it is UN Article 2(4) - the right to self-defence - that is most at risk. The right to self-defence is the linchpin in the suite of rights nations have and are obliged to respect.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Courier New"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Courier New">"One critical aspect of the <st1:country-region><st1:place>US</st1:place></st1:country-region> positioning on <st1:country-region><st1:place>Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region> is the accompanying threat to use nuclear weapons in response to any chemical or biological attack. Again, this position is clearly illegal under international law. The full impact of this policy change is only now being appreciated. Coupled with <st1:country-region><st1:place>US</st1:place></st1:country-region> withdrawal from the anti-ballistic missile treaty, which saw <st1:country-region><st1:place>Russia</st1:place></st1:country-region> pull out of START 11 and <st1:country-region><st1:place>China</st1:place></st1:country-region> announce an upgrade of its nuclear capacity, the world is now veering off the path of constructive arms control and disarmament to one where tactical nuclear weapons are being readied for use and a second arms race is on the cards.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Courier New"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Courier New">"There has already been use of weapons with depleted uranium in the first Gulf War, raising anxiety about the long-term consequences to human health and groundwater systems. A "bunker busting" bomb made with DU was first detonated on a site in <st1:City><st1:place>Kandahar</st1:place></st1:City> in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Afghanistan</st1:place></st1:country-region>, where preliminary medical tests revealed uranium contamination on human populations 100 times the normal level. Any use of nuclear weapons as contemplated by the new <st1:country-region><st1:place>US</st1:place></st1:country-region> doctrine would seriously magnify this kind of damage.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Courier New"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Courier New">"The environment on which people rely for their livelihood is also in peril. The first Gulf War saw massive oil spills, the poisoning of groundwater, extensive pollution of the coastline and half a billion tonnes of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by burning oil wells. This 'unacknowledged war against an undefended earth' is never mentioned in the context of armed conflict; no public plans exist to address the devastation of nature that inevitably follows.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Courier New"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Courier New">"As more light is shone on the dark face of war-making, so it becomes clear that it is neither an acceptable nor effective means of ensuring security, other than in the most extreme circumstances. And, horribly, with each war the proportion of civilian casualties continues to mount; 5 per cent in World War I, up to 90 per cent in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Vietnam</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Once the figure reaches 100 per cent in the next war or the war after that, then where do we turn?<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Courier New"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Courier New">"And while effective international containment of Saddam is clearly needed, when will the energies of the rich and powerful be extended to addressing the pressing challenge of creating genuinely equitable and sustainable development that bedevils the global community?<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Courier New"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Courier New">"Surprisingly, it was British Prime Minister Tony Blair who last Monday called for a new international covenant. "There will be no lasting peace while there is appalling injustice and poverty, no genuine security if the planet is ravaged by climate change," he said. The silence across the oceans from his two main allies was deafening.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Courier New"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Courier New">"By making the link with the call to invade <st1:country-region><st1:place>Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region>, Blair went a bridge too far. But his commitment to reduce greenhouse emissions by 60 per cent by 2050 gives notice of what nations can do to rein in the clear and present danger of climate change that will heavily affect the poor. And, in the absence of any real dialogue about making a better world, is it any wonder people are deaf to the call for war?"<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Courier New"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Courier New">Peter Garrett is president of the Australian Conservation Foundation. <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
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<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Courier New">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Courier New"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Courier New">If you care about this issue find out what else you can do to help ACF's campaign activities. <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Courier New"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Courier New">Please note: Whilst all attempts have been made to ensure that information within this document was correct at time of publishing, it may have gone out of date subsequently.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Courier New"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Courier New"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Courier New"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"><EM>Lina </EM> </SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P>
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