- by Denis Doherty
- The Guardian
- Issue #2173
Military lobby in Australia
Traditionally since its inception the RSL has been a focus for pro-military spending forces in Australia. Today it is no different. When outgoing RSL President Major General Melick spoke at the last Remembrance Day event, he called on the government to increase defence spending. Former PM Paul Keating responded correctly but not diplomatically, calling Melick a “dope” and accusing him of wanting to drag Australia “into a military exchange with the Chinese.” Keating has got all the Defence academic clique terribly upset, and they are calling for respect for veterans and a better understanding the issues about our current strategic position.
Jennifer Parker a pro-military academic at ANU with connections to the Lowy institute said, with no awareness of the irony, that it would be “prudent and responsible to have a national conversation about how we prepare for the changes outlined in the Australia’s National Defence Strategy.” We all know that there is no conversation about these issues because only the pro-military perspective is canvassed!
The other major lobby for more spending on the military comes from former high ranking Australian military officers who have gone through the revolving door from active military service to high paying jobs with rapacious arms corporations. The Aerospace Maritime Defence and Security Foundation, the organisation that coordinates the arms fairs such as the recent Indo Pacific Expo is headed up by a retired Vice Admiral Tim Barrett. It is not just the politicians that get their snouts in trough of big money from weaponry.
The Military Industrial Complex plus
There seems to be a change coming down the track about how we think of the people behind the rush to war in various parts of the world. Previously we simply said the military-industrial complex is behind this war or conflict. The introduction of AI into the battlefield seen in the Gaza massacre, and the massive increase in surveillance of all types has necessitated the use of huge cloud resources to store information. Hence the arrival of Silicon Valley companies in the weapons industry, with Google providing cloud space, Palantir provided AI targeting software with advanced and powerful targeting capabilities for the IDF.
An example of their work with an Australian connection, the murder of Aussie aid worker Zomi Frankcom, is the targeting of three well-marked and fully approved aid vehicles belonging to World Central Kitchen, killing their seven occupants and ensuring that the food would never reach those dying of starvation. The targeting was precise – placing missiles dead centre in the aid agency’s rooftop logos.
Israel and arms fairs
It’s good to see reports that Israeli arms companies have met opposition at arms fairs in South Korea and Dubai. The so-called “ceasefire” in Gaza has yet to ease global criticism of Israel. On 20 October dozens of pro-Palestinian activists staged a protest outside the exhibition pavilions of Israeli defence companies participating in the ADEX aerospace and defence exhibition at Seoul Airport in South Korea. Dubai Airshow has withdrawn registrations for all six Israeli defence companies due to take part in next month’s biennial arms show after a “technical review.”
The approach of Dubai to Israeli arms companies shows it is possible to stand up to Israel, and it puts Dubai in stark contrast to the pathetic response of the NSW and federal governments to the Israeli presence at the Indo Pacific Maritime Expo.
