War crimes report: Inquiry set to shake the foundations of defence

Australian Army soldiers in Uruzgan province, Afghanistan. Picture: Department of Defence

Paul Brereton’s report on alleged war crimes by Australian forces in Afghanistan reveals sickening and immoral conduct by the nation’s most revered, well-trained soldiers.

His findings are staggering in their gravity, scope and seriousness. He finds credible evidence that 25 Australian serving and former special forces soldiers committed war crimes, resulting in the unlawful deaths of 39 Afghan civilians or prisoners.

The report paints a picture of soldiers out of control, spurred on by a perverted “warrior culture” that was fostered by non-commissioned officers and allowed by commanders to flourish. In shocking details, he found credible evidence to confirm more senior soldiers ordered newly arrived troopers to execute prisoners in “blooding” rituals. One incident mentioned, but not described, is said to be “possibly the most disgraceful episode in Australia’s military history”.

In the past, some in the community have given special forces soldiers the benefit of the doubt, suggesting crimes may have been the result of “the fog of war”.

Justice Brereton repudiates that notion in the first few pages of his report, saying none of the incidents he pursued were the result of decisions made “in the heat of battle”.

His report says corporals and sergeants in the field were directly responsible for the alleged crimes, keeping them secret from officers. But, crucially, he says commanders are also accountable, and must bear moral responsibility.

The Chief of the Defence Force, Angus Campbell, who initiated the inquiry as chief of army, has vowed to reform the units and rebuild their moral authority.

The Special Air Service Regiment will live on, despite the majority of alleged murders being committed by its members. But its troubled 2 Squadron, in which Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith served, will be abolished.

General Campbell apologised to the victims’ families, who will be compensated, and to the Australian people for the “shameful” findings.

He has also pledged to pursue commanders who looked the other way.

General Campbell is himself effectively exonerated in the report, which finds the post he held in 2011-12, as commander of Australia’s Middle East operations, known as Joint Taskforce 633, was too remote from the field to have a sufficient degree of command and control.

He and Chief of Army Rick Burr — who commanded SASR in 2003-04 — will now lead Defence’s deepest and most wrenching overhaul in a generation. They will have to set aside their own deep connections to the SAS, and to many fellow commanders, if they are to rebuild the community’s trust in the Australian Army and its elite combat units.