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August 11, 2014
The Abbott Government continues to think of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS ) as a terrorist organization along the lines of Al Qaeda, thereby implying that it will conduct terrorist operations in the west and in Australia.
The Islamic State is in fact a state in a region where the European drawn boundaries, that used to mark out Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, are collapsing. The shape of this region is being redrawn by the Islamic State expanding its territory. The Sunni Muslims are using their army to establish their own systems of government in their own territory. Let them. Iraq can collapse.
David Rowe
Despite the sabre rattling by the Abbott Government Australia will not fight the advance of ISIS. For what national interest reason would it do so? They will just hang onto the coat tails of the US which has just re-engaged militarily with the conflict in the region with its modest airstrikes to protect the Kurdish region.
I would doubt that the American public is keen on US military intervention in Syria or Iraq, even if GOP hawks call for immediate action to arm the rebels in Syria and to launch air strikes in Iraq. The US public is not likely to support another US war in the Middle East, even if the GOP resorts to the traditional Republican attack on Democrats: Obama is weak on national security. Despite the limits to US power the Republicans will exploit the problems overseas for maximum political gain at home.
So will the Coalition. It's a diversionary tactic; one that is designed to encourage Australians to become even more paranoid and xenophobic than they have already been encouraged to become. The justification for this exploitation will be national security.
Sacrifices need to be made and liberty curtailed because of the real or imagined threats to an idealised Australian way of life aliens (jihadists) living in our suburbs.
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The Australian defence minister, David Johnston, has confirmed that Australia will not rule out providing military “back-up assistance” to the US in Iraq.
Why would the US want to return to Iraq?