Communist Party members from two countries are working to cancel an important Australia/US annual military exercise.
The US-Australian Talisman Sabre 09 (TS09) military exercise began on July 6 at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area near Rockhampton will conclude on July 26.
15,000 US troops will join 8,000 Australian personnel for the exercise, run annually for several years.
According to the Communist Party of Australia’s Guardian
Military of both countries will be met by peace campaigners calling for the war games to be cancelled.
According to CPA organiser and National Coordinator of the Australian Anti-Bases Campaign Coalition, Denis Doherty
“Talisman Sabre will cost over $50 million in the midst of an economic crisis. We peace campaigners speak for the 70 percent of Australians who do not want more money spent on the military.
“The live-fire exercises practice invasions, they make Australia a greater target, they train our forces to take US orders, and they bomb unique and fragile locations on the edge of the irreplaceable Great Barrier Reef.
“Talisman Sabre is addressing threats that do not exist, while aggravating those that are rapidly advancing, including climate change, hunger, and crippling poverty.
“War and its preparation make these problems worse. Talisman Sabre should be cancelled,”
Peace campaigners are converging on the Rockhampton-Yeppoon area from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
The Communist Party of Australia has been active in the campaign against Talisman Sabre.
Members have helped with the organisation and some are travelling to Rockhampton. Branches in two states have contributed banners to hang at actions in Rockhampton.
The Party’s major contribution has been as the chief sponsor of a tour by US peace activist Judith Le Blanc, She is visiting Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and will join the Peace Convergence in Rockhampton.
Judith LeBlanc is a Vice Chair of the Communist Party USA and is Chair of the Party’s Peace and Solidarity Commission.
She is the Organising Co-ordinator of United for Peace and Justice, the largest anti-war coalition in the USA, dominated since its founding by CPUSA, party offshoot Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism and the almost equally as radical Democratic Socialists of America.
Yo Cameron, are you saying that if the CPA etc can prevent US-AU military exercises that as a consequence there would be no more wars, death and destruction?
Would that be the same as saying if the Police didn't train as a consequence there would be no more crime? If we didn't have doctors and hospitals that people wouldn't die of illness? That if we don't insure our house it wouldn't burn down?
Do tell me, if the US and Australia disbanded their military, would the world become a peaceful place? What about the other aspiring would-be powers, will they do the same?
Granted, the US ain't perfect (and the invasion of Iraq was a bit of a con by Cheney etc) however would the next wanna-be super-power be any better?
-RecNZ
I wonder why Communists are suddenly pro 'peace'??
EXOCET
Sounds like the CPA is doing some good stuff. Good on them.
Interesting … the ol' Peacenik trick of spreading fear ("they make Australia a greater target") and mis-information ("We peace campaigners speak for the 70 percent of Australians who do not want more money spent on the military" – yeah right! And "Talisman Sabre is addressing threats that do not exist. Shheesh, very old school fear tactics. So who's payrolling these clowns?
-RecNZ