Tony Abbott's office floated sending Australian troops into Ukraine conflict, defence expert claims


Tony Abbott's staff considered involving Australian troops in the conflict between Ukraine and Kremlin-backed rebels during the MH17 crisis, potentially making them targets, a leading defence scholar says.

Former Australian Army officer James Brown, writing in the latest Quarterly Essay, described Mr Abbott's handling of defence as "the clearest case in recent times of a prime minister struggling to grasp the limits of Australian military power".
Australia's relationship with Russia was strained after Tony Abbott led condemnation of Vladimir Putin's actions in Ukraine.

Australia's relationship with Russia was strained after Tony Abbott led condemnation of Vladimir Putin's actions in Ukraine. Photo: Reuters

In an essay that excoriates the lack of strategic sophistication in Australian politics and the inadequate checks on prime ministerial power when it comes to deploying troops, Mr Brown said Australia needs "a better system for deciding to go to war".


On the MH17 response, Mr Brown said Australia's military planners "worked up options" for Mr Abbott to send as much as a brigade – about 3000 soldiers – onto Russia's doorstep to help secure the crash site, though this would have included a contribution of Dutch forces.

Previously it has been reported Mr Abbott flagged sending up to 1000 Australian troops to provide protection. In the end, Australia quietly deployed about 200 special forces soldiers in a low-key role supporting police investigators.
Australian Federal Police and their Dutch counterparts searching at the MH17 crash site.



But Mr Brown, who is now research director at the US Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, has also written that "further curious military proposals were floated by staff from the prime minister's office" including one that would have had Australian troops effectively involved in the conflict between pro-Ukrainian and pro-Kremlin forces.

"One of them – to commit uniformed Australian military logistics personnel to help the Ukrainians improve their own systems – seemed to ignore that this would make them legitimate targets for separatists fighting in Eastern Ukraine," he said.

Mr Brown, who is also Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's son-in-law, called for the creation of a national security council to better advise the government and also for greater "democratic accountability" on defence issues.


"This concentration of war powers in the hands of the prime minister, when combined with the institutional shortcomings, creates potential problems in decision-making that could cost lives. There are very few checks and balances," he said.

Mr Brown used the Abbott example as part of a ruthless dissection of the superficial way Australia's political system and public debates deal with war.

He said Mr Abbott wanted to use the Australian Defence Force to make Australia a muscular middle power but concluded his approach was "problematic – chaotic even" and could have "exposed Australian troops to substantial danger in pursuit of lofty objectives misaligned with national interests".

With the risk of conflict in Asia a real possibility, Australia needs to hone its decision-making process for going to war, Mr Brown said, calling for the creation of a "national security council" made up of "the best and brightest strategic thinkers".

He said the Australian public's view of going to war had been shaped by the controversial 2003 commitment to Iraq, and this had tainted perceptions of the US role in Asia, including the stationing of American marines in Darwin.

There was a "dangerous naivety" in Australia's thinking that it would not be affected by the massive strategic changes under way in Asia, he said.

"It seems to me that many Australians want to default to the role of bystander, particularly when it comes to the changing power balances in Asia, and the role of the United States."

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2016/tony-abbotts-office-floated-sending-australian-troops-into-ukraine-conflict-defence-expert-claims-20160612-gphbab#ixzz4BQuBdy1P
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I'm not sure this is a revelation Mr Neck.  Reckon I've heard of it previously.  There is no doubt he and Bishop coat-tailed on this disaster, milking every political last drop they could squeeze out of it.

Abbott was a d1ck and the best thing the libs did was to ditch him.

Redmond Neck wrote on Jun 13^th, 2016 at 4:28pm:


Are you calling us LIARS?

I would be more concerned if a PM didnt consider... any form of WAR...

do you not understand the word float or consider red??>.

oh thats right you are so used to a lefty govt  JUMPING IN  AND THINKING later I forget

you think everyones like that dont you?

The woman basher getting his ambitions and capabilities mixed up , its little wonder he makes the top ten for shortest serving PM ever 

John Smith wrote on Jun 13^th, 2016 at 5:30pm:


I am astounded that the concept of lodging a brigade sized group that far away from home and near such a zone of open conflict and power struggles and regional interests over which Australia has no control or real interest, was ever considered at all. 

Where was Tones going to get the troops from?  Call up the Reserves?

Its time wrote on Jun 13^th, 2016 at 5:22pm:


No wonder you're unemployed. You can't tell the difference between a wall and a woman!