Inspector General of Australian Defence Forces Report on Afghan War Crimes

[CBH99]

That genuinely sucks  :'(

The world can be a far more complicated place than we ever imagine. 



Sincerely, rest in peace. 

 

[dimsum]

Bumped with this article.

How the ‘good war’ went bad: elite soldiers from Australia, UK and US face a reckoning

As coalition troops prepare to withdraw from Afghanistan after 20 years, former soldiers, key officers and the public are asking what went wrong with some special forces

It's probably also the first (?) time that CANSOF were facing allegations as well.

Troops from Canada, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Denmark also faced allegations of breaches of international humanitarian law, the laws of war.

How the ‘good war’ went bad: elite soldiers from Australia, UK and US face a reckoning

As coalition troops prepare to withdraw from Afghanistan after 20 years, former soldiers, key officers and the public are asking what went wrong with some special forces

www.theguardian.com

 

[Weinie]

Bumped with this article.



It's probably also the first (?) time that CANSOF were facing allegations as well.

How the ‘good war’ went bad: elite soldiers from Australia, UK and US face a reckoning

As coalition troops prepare to withdraw from Afghanistan after 20 years, former soldiers, key officers and the public are asking what went wrong with some special forces

www.theguardian.com

The only two references to Canada in this article that I could find were detainees and Capt Semrau. No new news here.

 

[dimsum]

That is...disturbing.

War crimes witness in hiding after blast at her NSW home

A former special operations intelligence officer and witness in the Brereton Inquiry is relocated by the Defence Force after a blast at her family home.

www.abc.net.au

Also, 13 SAS troops have been told there is insufficient evidence for their cases to be referred to investigators after being told last year to prove why they shouldn't be sacked.

Dutton apologises to cleared SAS troops

Defence Minister Peter Dutton says it is time to move on from war crimes allegations against Australian soldiers in Afghanistan if they have been cleared.

thewest.com.au

 

[dimsum]

Update:

The Chief of the Defence Force has paused any internal disciplinary measures for senior army officers who failed to prevent alleged war crimes in Afghanistan, as the ADF waits for an official external investigation to be completed — something that could take years.

General Angus Campbell's move last year followed an edict from Defence Minister Peter Dutton that the ADF wait for lengthy criminal investigations to conclude before commanders faced any internal military consequences for wrongdoing that occurred under their command.

According to Freedom of Information documents obtained by the Australian newspaper, a further 21 personnel who served in Afghanistan have been told they should "learn from their experiences".

The decision comes despite 17 lower-ranked soldiers being issued termination notices for "alleged failure to meet ADF expectations and values" following the landmark 2020 Brereton report.

Senior military officers yet to face consequences for alleged Afghanistan war crimes, documents reveal

Australia's Defence Force Chief has paused internal disciplinary measures for senior army officers who failed to prevent alleged war crimes in Afghanistan, pending the completion of an external investigation that could take years.

www.abc.net.au

 

[dimsum]

Another update:

According to three Defence sources with knowledge of the situation, Langford had for some months felt that his position had become untenable.
Langford was under review for a potential “administrative censure” over an alleged lack of oversight as the special forces commander, but sources confirmed that this was never finalised and did not lead to him being sacked. However, Langford has told close confidants that he was then left with the impression that he had to go.

The fallout has escalated tensions inside the Australian Defence Force, with some soldiers believing Langford was mistreated while the top brass has avoided any scrutiny.

‘A massive loss’: Senior officer who led special forces in Afghanistan felt his position was untenable

The senior officer was “voluntarily” discharged in recent weeks after falling out with the Chief of the Defence Force.

www.theage.com.au

 

[brihard]

Update: Australian police have reportedly arrested a former SAS trooper in connection with an unlawful killing in Afghanistan. He’s expected to be charged later today (it’s Monday morning / mid day over there). We’ll likely see more on this story by tomorrow morning our time.

Police arrest former SAS soldier shown in Four Corners video

Police arrest a decorated former SAS soldier who was shown in a Four Corners program shooting an Afghan man in a wheat field. He is expected to become the first Australian serviceman or veteran to be charged with a war crime under Australian law.

www.abc.net.au

 

[brihard]

Morning update: he has been charged with the War Crime of Murder, a domestic criminal offense under Australian law. I’m not (yet) familiar with their criminal law on this, but at first glance I think that, like us, they have their own criminal provisions that mirror internationally recognized war crimes. The charge relates to the shooting death of an Afghan male in a 2012 raid in Uruzgan. He has been held in custody with no bail application yet made. My amateur guess is he’ll be out on bail pretty quickly once his lawyer gets a plan together.