Will Australia erode or build trust with Iran?
That is the question posed by our NAJ Taylor in the 15 July edition of The Guardian. Noting that Australia has since 2008 imposed autonomous sanctions on…
Five questions for Federal election candidates
Any day now the Prime Minister will announce the date for the next Federal election. Clearly economic management, the pricing of carbon and asylum seeker policy…
The streaker’s defence
It takes a particular kind of courage for people in public life to admit that they got something wrong, even after their error is publicly obvious.…
How many Iraqis died?
How many Iraqis died in the US led invasion of 2003 and the subsequent occupation?Pakistan-born Glasgow-based sociologist, Muhammad Idrees Ahmad, writing in the UAE journal The…
Ending undeclared wars: repeal of authorizing legislation
Michael Krepon has a useful piece at Arms Control Wonk commenting on President Obama’s speech on the use of armed drones for assassinations of alleged Taliban- and Al Qaeda-linked terrorists in Pakistan,…
Pilger on Gatsby and Iraq
In today’s online edition of The Guardian, Australian journalist John Pilger surveys the mess that is contemporary Iraq, under the headlinesWe’ve moved on from the Iraq war…
Substitute question marks for exclamation marks
CANBERRA – A terrible tragedy is unfolding in (fill in the name of your favorite trouble spot). Something must be done. This (choose from sending troops, air…
A question of accountability as HMAS Sydney joins USN Carrier Strike Group
As we know from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, many ADF personnel have been embedded in US military forces, serving alongside US military personnel, often in…
Iraq: a war widow’s view
On Saturday 27 April The Canberra Times published an opinion piece by Kellie Merritt, an Iraq war widow, social worker and mother. Her husband Flight Lieutenant Paul Pardoel…
What price humanitarian war?
With her parents-in-law Margaret (2nd R) and John Pardoel (R) looking on, Kellie Pardoel (2nd L) is held by her father Maurie Merritt (L) as the…