Top Secret Iraq War Documents Uncovered in Australia
Newly released documents reveal Australia’s commitment to the Iraq War and the rationale behind former PM John Howard’s decisions during the conflict
Iraq, Australia, John Howard, US Invasion, WMDs, Saddam Hussein
Canberra: So, the National Archive of Australia just dropped some old cabinet records from 2004, and they’re pretty revealing. Former Prime Minister John Howard is standing firm on his choice to join the US in the Iraq War. He admits that, sure, they didn’t find those weapons of mass destruction that everyone was talking about, but he insists it was all about Australia’s national interest.
Howard’s comments come right after these documents were released, showing how Australia was involved in the war. He committed troops back in 2003, believing Iraq had WMDs, but, as we know, that turned out to be a bust.
He’s not backing down, though. Howard says it’s disappointing they didn’t find any stockpiles, but he still believes the decisions were made with good intentions based on what the US and UK were saying at the time.
He mentioned that while they were wrong about the WMDs, it wasn’t done out of malice. He felt it was his job to look out for Australia’s interests and to keep an eye on what was happening globally, especially with the US as an ally.
Howard also pointed out that even if they didn’t find the actual weapons, there was still evidence that Iraq could quickly put them together. So, he felt justified in sending troops over there.
After the US invasion, which saw Saddam Hussein captured, Iraq was set to form a new government in 2004. The cabinet records show that there were ongoing talks about Australia’s role in the conflict, especially with the rise of insurgency.
One letter from then Defence Minister Robert Hill to Howard discussed possibly sending more Australian Defence Force personnel to help train the Iraqi army. Hill noted that Iraq was at a crucial point, transitioning to a sovereign government.
In the end, they decided to send more troops to help out, showing their commitment to the US alliance. They even allocated a hefty budget for operations in Iraq during those years.
Reflecting on Australia’s role, Howard mentioned that Australians should feel proud of their efforts, especially when they sent troops to protect a Japanese engineering unit back in 2005. It was a big deal, especially after the Dutch pulled out.
Even though Howard had promised no troops would return during the 2004 election, he realized that people wanted to support the Japanese engineers. It was a reminder of how far Australia had come in its relationship with Japan since WWII.
Australia kept troops in Iraq until 2009, with around 1,400 soldiers stationed there at one point. It’s a complicated history, and these newly released documents are shedding light on the decisions made back then.