… and Kurds should be supplied with military and humanitarian aid
Senator Lambie in Parliament House with the Kurdish Lobby Australia
Click Below for Senator Lambie’s YouTube Statement
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx4SKGy4iXY
Independent Senator for Tasmania Jacqui Lambie has renewed her call for the Aussie Soldiers in Iraq to be returned home to Australia and for the Kurdish Fighters of the Kurdistan Regional Government to be directly supplied with military and humanitarian aid.
“We could bring our troops home from the Middle East and save $750M a year, or $3B over the forward estimates. It is dumb to risk our Diggers’ lives in Iraq, when the US has made a half-hearted commitment with only 3000 troops – in the recognition that it is a lost cause in Iraq now.” Said Senator Lambie.
The Senator has also called on the Prime Minister to support her call for the Workers’ Party (PKK) to be taken off Australia’s official terrorist list – and should he fail to bring our Diggers home, to resign the moment any Australian soldier based in Iraq is killed or captured.
“Everyone knows that with only 3000 American Troops on the ground in Iraq – we have no hope of winning any war against ISIS. America and the rest of the world would have to put at least 100,000 plus troops on the ground, to stop the advances of the Islamic State thugs.
Therefore, America and the rest of the world are not fair dinkum about fighting ISIS – and according to the American Secretary of Defence, neither is the Iraqi Army. “ said Senator Lambie
“Any clear thinking person knows that the current Iraqi army will turn on our Diggers and betray them to the ISIS enemy in a heartbeat. If, as Australian Strategic Policy ¬Institute executive director Peter Jennings suggests, Australian troops role is upgraded from “advise and assist” to “advise, assist and accompany” it is a recipe for disaster.” said Senator Lambie.
“Our soldiers are only in Iraq to save Tony Abbott’s political skin, not to save the Iraqi people.
After my briefing with the Australian Kurdish Lobby last week and many conversations with Australian Veterans who have previously fought in the Middle East – it’s clear that the best future for the Iraqi people is for the country to split into 3 autonomous regions controlled by the Shia, the Sunnis and the Kurds.
There are 40 million Kurds living in various countries in the Middle East. They are the only fighters on the ground, who are able to take on the brutes in Islamic State. The Kurdish people have a culture and value system, which is similar to Australia.” said Senator Lambie
“Unlike the majority of cultures in the Middle East, the Kurds value human, women and animal rights. They also support a democratic federal system of government similar to Australia’s, which is made up of autonomous regional governments.
If Mr Abbott and his government fail to bring our soldiers home soon and listens to the advice of Australian Strategic Policy Institute executive director Peter Jennings who wants the Diggers’ role upgraded from “advise and assist” to “advise, assist and accompany – then they’d better be ready for this question.
Will you negotiate if ISIS captures any of our Diggers?” said Senator Lambie.
Rob Messenger
