Australia at the UN: an obstacle to World Peace …

On 01 January 2013, Australia began its two-year non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). With no foreign policy of its own, Australia will kowtow to the U.S., supporting and participating in U.S. aggression at the expense of world peace and Australia’s national interests.

It is worth noting that Australia won the required votes not because Australia is a forward-looking, progressive and peace-loving nation. Australia spent a large amount of taxpayers’ money bribing and coercing other smaller nations to vote for Australia. Even Australia’s aid funding to poor nations has been skewed to win votes. In other words, Australia did not win on merit, Australia bought the votes. The aim of this costly campaign is designed to elevate Australia’s status as a subservient U.S. ally and an obstacle to world peace.

Palestine

Australians did not have to wait too long to see the direction of Australia’s foreign policy at the UN. The first litmus test was the UN General Assembly vote on a resolution to upgrade Palestine to a non-member observer status at the UN. The Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, like her predecessors is an unconditional supporter of the fascist state of Israel and had wanted Australia to join the U.S. and Israel to vote against the resolution. Ms Gillard lost because the majority of the Labor Party cabinet were against her. However, after years of kowtowing to the U.S.-Israel Zionist agenda, Australia caved to Zionist and U.S. pressures and abstained from a vote. Palestine was declared as an observer state by a 138-9 vote. Australian abstention from voting was an act of cowardice consistent with Australia’s long history of unconditionally supporting and financing Israel’s terror and war crimes in Palestine.

In Israel, Israeli leaders reciprocated in kind for the unconditional support by slapping their supporters and allies in the face and exposing their complicity in the crimes against the Palestinians. The fascist regime of Netanyahu announced the building of new (illegal) Jews-only Zionist colonies (settlements) on stolen Palestinian land and killing any meagre hope of a “two-State” solution.

Syria

Australia has joined the U.S. and its anti-Syria’s conglomerate states – Israel, NATO states, including Turkey, Jordan, and their beloved Gulf dictators – in supporting the on-going foreign-sponsored terrorist attacks against Syria. In fact, Australia was one of the first countries to follow the U.S. diktats and imposed sanctions, including the sale of medicines, putting millions of Syrian lives at risk. The Australian foreign minister, Bob Carr, has suggested that President Bashar al-Assad and his close associates be assassinated, an act of naked terrorism and in flagrant violation of UN Charter and international law. His predecessor, Kevin Rudd has called for more arms to the terrorists. Both, Bob Carr and Kevin Rudd must be fully aware that, the majority of the Syrian people support the Government of Bashar al-Assad and are vehemently opposed to foreign-sponsored aggression and interference. If Australia – and other nations – is really concern about human rights in Syria, Australia should make efforts to assist Syrian refugees in desperate need of help and facing a humanitarian catastrophe.

The violence in Syria is fuelled by the U.S. and its conglomerate states since early 2011. They have been using foreign-sponsored terrorists, including Turks, Israelis, Australians, Brits, Uzbeks, Saudis, Qataris, Libyans, etc. The U.S. and its allies are supplying these “good” terrorists and mercenaries with weapons and cash – hoping to achieve a well-established Zionist aim of destabilising and neutralising Syria as a divided and failed state modelled on Iraq and Libya. The deliberate destruction of Syria is design to isolate Iran and pave the way for the long-awaited U.S.-Israel military aggression against Iran.

Iran

According to a July 2008 WikiLeaks cable, Israeli Ambassador to Australia, Yuval Rotem said, “Israel sees Australia as playing an important role in the ‘global PR battle’ on Iran because PM [Kevin] Rudd is viewed favourably by the ‘European Left,’ many of whom are sceptical about taking a tough line towards Tehran.” Under Prime Minister Gillard, Australia is a loyal tool easily used by anti-Muslim war-thirsty Zionists. In October 2008, Australia imposed its own unilateral sanctions against Iran. As it did against the people of Iraq more than a decade ago, “Australia wants the most robust, intrusive and debilitating sanctions possible” to cripple Iran’s economy. How can the Australian Government justify its hostile policy towards a law-abiding, non-nuclear Iran while unconditionally supporting a nuclear-armed and an outlaw fascist regime in Israel?

The Region

As tension simmered in the Region, Australia has permitted thousands of U.S. marines to be stationed in Darwin, and has hinted at allowing the deployment of more U.S. forces, including a nuclear aircraft carrier and nuclear submarines on Australian soil. In addition, the U.S. has already spy stations in Western Australia and on Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean. As a U.S.-appointed “deputy sheriff”, Australia is already on the U.S. war bandwagon and remains hostage to U.S. aggressive policies. Despite Australia’s heavy reliance on China as an export market for Australian raw materials, Australia backs the U.S. in its aggressive policy of “containing” China, by force if necessary. On North Korea, Australian politicians have become accustomed to regurgitating U.S. false propaganda. Australia’s foreign minister, Bob Carr has singled-out North Korea as a threat to the Region. In reality, it is the U.S. militarism that poses the greatest threat to the Region, and the world in general, not North Korea.

Human Rights

In the last decade, Australian has enacted the most draconian laws, specifically targeting Muslim Australians and vulnerable refugees fleeing Western-sponsored violence and repression in their homelands. There are now 45 laws targeting Muslims. The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) and the police have unprecedented powers to detain without charge, harass, monitor and report on peaceful Muslim Australians. They are under siege and their lives are being invaded by the state. This, of course, has put Muslim Australians under extreme pressure and led to overt racism in employment, housing and education.

Regarding refugees, in violation of human right laws and UN Refugee Convention, Australia now has the most anti-refugee policies of any decent government.

Thousands of refugees have perished at sea desperately trying to reach Australia. Not deterred by a worldwide condemnation of its policies, Australia has been advocating and promoting these inhumane anti-refugees laws around the world. The country that many people love and called “home” has become as racist as Europe. In fact, Australia has become a preferred haven for the most racist new European migrants.

Finally, whether under Labor or Liberal government, Australia’s complicity in U.S. criminal wars will continue, despite strong opposition by a majority of Australians. Successive Australian Governments have endorsed and participated in U.S. aggression against defenceless people. From Vietnam and Afghanistan to Iraq, Australia provided the U.S. with a well-trained mercenary force.

Australia’s non-permanent membership of the UNSC will change nothing as long as Australia remains a hostage to U.S. criminal policies and among the obstacles to world peace. The Australian Government’s campaign to gain a seat at the UNSC was a waste of taxpayer money and will not serve world peace and Australia’s national interests. Most Australians do not support their Government’s complicity in U.S. aggression and would expect that their Government takes a leading role in advancing world peace and upholding human rights law.

Ghali Hassan is an independent political analyst living in Australia.