Posted on 12/01/2002 8:06:09 PM PST by Dallas
SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister John Howard said yesterday he was prepared to act against terrorists in neighbouring Asian countries and that international law and the UN Charter should be changed to empower nations to strike pre-emptively against terrorists who plan to attack them.
His comments sparked immediate outrage from governments across Asia.
Australia has one of the most powerful militaries in the region – with a modern air force and experienced special forces.
Howard’s comments come as his nation nervously watches how South-East Asian countries to its north deal with Islamic militants in the wake of the Oct 12 bombings on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali. The attack left nearly 200 people dead – almost half of them Australian tourists.
The al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group Jemaah Islamiah has been blamed for the carnage.
Though dozens of suspected Jemaah Islamiah operatives have been jailed, many more are still believed to be operational. Australia has boosted security at its embassies overseas and warned that terrorists may also attack within Australia. Last week, Australia closed its mission in the Philippines, citing a specific and credible terror threat.
“It stands to reason that if you believe that somebody was going to launch an attack on your country, either of a conventional kind or a terrorist kind, and you had a capacity to stop it and there was no alternative other than to use that capacity, then of course you would have to use it,’’ he told Australia’s Channel Nine TV station.
Asked if that meant taking pre-emptive action against terrorists in a neighbouring country, Howard said: “Oh yes. I think any Australian prime minister would.’’
Later in the interview, he declined to give details when asked if Australian commandos could be used.
“There’s no situation that I’m aware of at the moment that raises that issue, and I don’t really want to go down that path any further,’’ he said.
Howard’s comments prompted immediate reaction.
Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman Marti Natalegawa said Australia did not have the right to launch military strikes in other countries and that “states cannot willy-nilly flout international law and norms.’’
Indonesian legislator Alvin Lie said Howard’s statement “is very dangerous’’ and that the Australian leader “should learn to control himself.’’
Thailand’s government spokesman Ratthakit Manathat said: “Nobody does anything like this. Each country has its own sovereignty, that must be protected.’’
Philippine National Security Adviser Roilo Golez said Howard’s comments were “not wise,’’ adding that they don’t “follow ... the doctrine of peacekeeping and sovereignty.’’
A leftist group there said it would now protest against Australia.
Canberra, a longtime ally of the United States, has proven its military capabilities. In 1999, it sent thousands of troops into East Timor as peacekeepers when Indonesia’s army and its militia proxies killed hundreds of people after the territory voted in a UN-sponsored referendum for independence.
It deployed special forces to Afghanistan last year to help US troops root out Taliban and al-Qaeda remnants.
Howard said the UN Charter should be altered to allow member countries to pre-emptively strike at terrorists. He said the document was developed when conflicts were defined in terms of nations attacking nations.
“That’s different now. What you’re getting is non-state terrorism which is just as devastating and potentially even more so,’’ he said. “All I’m saying, I think many people are saying, is that maybe the body of international law has to catch up with the new reality.’’
Howard last week said Australia was drafting military contingency plans for a possible war in Iraq following talks with US officials.
He told Channel Nine that a possible government decision to send troops to Iraq would be accompanied by a parliamentary debate.
“The decision (to send troops into Iraq) is one for the executive government,’’ he said. Howard’s office declined to elaborate on his TV comments, other than to reiterate that he was speaking hypothetically with regards to pre-emptive acts. The need for that sort of action had not arisen, it said.
Clive Williams, director of terrorism studies at the Australian National University’s strategic defence studies centre, said Australia’s main tools in a possible military pre-emptive strike against terrorists would be its long-range, US-built F-111 fighter bombers and elite Special Air Services troops. – AP
After a loss, the Bush doctrine begins to make sense. I see more converts, as the nut cases hit softer targets.
Real easy folks, just clean up the mess in your own back yard and you don't have to worry about your neighbor coming in and doing it.
One things for certain. We're going to have to learn. Between South America, Indonesia, and the Philippines the future looks tough.
States also are not supposed to harbor terrorists who attack citizens of other countries.
Indonesian legislator Alvin Lie said Howard’s statement “is very dangerous’’ and that the Australian leader “should learn to control himself.’’
Does anyone think Alvin has ever piously suggested to the Islamofascists in his country that they "should learn to control" themselves?
Good article!
The authors point is that the softer target will be the rule and not the exception.
He also gets into the relationships between AlQueda(sp) and the Pali's.
The way I see it is that they are liable to form any kind of connection with anyone, as long as it benefits both. One needs to have money, another the transportation, weapons etc, and another provides the martyrs and man power.
They are all birds of a feather, and will flock together when the needs are there.
And they are!
If Howard understands the right of a nation to defend itself, even if it mean pre-emptive action, then he should be able to comprehend his citizens wish to arm themselves in able to defend themselves.
The Autralian gun laws should go!
Howard can't claim the moral high ground on one of these issues and ignore the other.
Or picking up the costs.
They are really not a problem at all. A few small nukes to seal all the caves and after 50 years or so when the radiation is gone, go in and mop up anything that survived.
Of course we'll have to heavily bomb them with Christian tracts and such giving them time to make their peace with God before we arrange the meeting.
This war will continue until mohammedism is eradicated. Islam is the enemy
God Save America (Please)
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