Australia has revoked the military honours of several senior defence commanders over alleged war crimes committed under their watch in Afghanistan.
The decision follows recommendations from the 2020 Brereton Report, which uncovered “credible evidence” that elite Australian soldiers unlawfully killed 39 people during the war.
Speaking in parliament on Thursday, Defence Minister Richard Marles announced that the officers would lose their distinguished service medals. He emphasized that while the misconduct was a source of “national shame,” the action demonstrated Australia’s commitment to accountability.
“Australia is a country which holds itself accountable,” Marles said, though he declined to specify how many officers were affected, with reports suggesting fewer than ten.
The inquiry also revealed a “warrior culture” within parts of Australia’s military that went unchecked, contributing to the unlawful actions. However, Marles praised the vast majority of the Australian defence forces for their “sacred service” in Afghanistan and acknowledged those who helped expose the misconduct.
The decision to revoke the medals does not impact soldiers currently under investigation for war crimes, including Ben Roberts-Smith, Australia’s most decorated living soldier. Roberts-Smith, who denies any wrongdoing, was found in a civil defamation case last year to have murdered four unarmed prisoners, though he has not faced criminal charges.
The Brereton Report did not find evidence that higher-ranking officers knew about the alleged war crimes but held commanders morally responsible for what occurred under their command. The inquiry stated that these commanders could not “in good conscience” retain their honours, awarded for leadership in combat.
The decision has stirred debate within Australia’s veteran community. Some argue that senior officers are being unfairly penalized for others’ actions, while a government-commissioned report in May noted “ongoing anger and bitter resentment” that senior officers had not taken public responsibility for policies that led to misconduct.
Opposition defence spokesman and former SAS soldier Andrew Hastie supported the move, stating that both soldiers and leaders must seek the truth. “If both our soldiers and our leaders had done so, we might not be in this place today,” Hastie said.
Despite only one former soldier, Oliver Schulz, being charged so far, investigations into other Australian soldiers’ roles in the alleged war crimes continue.
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