[Marxism] Re: Australian troops back in East Timor

[Tony Hartin <tony.hartin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Nick wrote:
>In the regularly re-occuring East Timor discussion on this list the
anti-1999 >interventionists have typically asserted not only that
"Australia's 1999 intervention in East >Timor was used as support for
further such intervention elsewhere" (this is obviously true, >as e.g.
Howard has done this numerous times), but *also* that the rhetorical use
of this >intervention to support other interventions has been very
successful
> [...]Several times I've asked for some empirical evidence, rather
than bald assertions, that > this is the case,

Department of Defence
Australian perspectives on defence -Report of the Community Consultation
Team September 2000

[...]
It was also clear that there was a widespread appreciation that
important changes were under way in our region. Many people were
concerned that these changes had heightened instability in the region
and introduced a new measure of unpredictability about Australia's
strategic outlook. We heard frequent references to the possibility of
demands being placed on the Defence Force at very short notice, as
happened last year with the deployment to East Timor.

We gained a strong sense that in these circumstances the majority of the
public viewed increased investment in our military capabilities as a
prudent insurance measure. This contrasts sharply with the views of some
academic and bureaucratic commentators.

/"A year ago I would have been far less concerned about national
security. But the crisis in East Timor has changed all that. Like many
other ordinary Australians, I now realise that we have been complacent,
if not naïve…"
Elizabeth Turnock, NSW/

http://www.defence.gov.au/consultation2/index.htm

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Australian Strategic Policy Institute
Attitude matters - Public Opinion in Australia on defence and security -
2004

[...]
Following the terrorist attacks in the United States on 11 September
2001, defence and terrorism became national election issues in Australia
for the first time in several decades. Overall, 51 percent of voters in
the 2001 federal election considered defence and national security
'extremely important' issues, compared to 66 percent who mentioned
health and 65 percent who mentioned education. This compares with 25
percent mentioning defence as 'extremely important' during the 1996
federal election.

Public confidence in Defence is high. Defence attracts substantially
higher confidence than comparable public institutions, such as the
courts and the legal system. Moreover, public confidence in Defence has
increased significantly following the success of the East Timor operation.

While a majority of the electorate believes that Australia would not be
able to defend itself if attacked, increasing numbers also believe that
defence has become stronger in recent years.

Opinion towards government spending on defence over the past quarter of
a century shows that views in favour of an increase in spending peaked
at the time of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1980, and declined
until the collapse of communism in 1990. Thereafter, there has been an
increase in those favouring more expenditure, peaking in 2000 following
the East Timor crisis.

http://www.aspi.org.au/17987attitude%20matters/executive.html

---------------------------------------------------------

Australian Defence Organisation
Defence Budget Increased - 2000

The Minister for Defence, John Moore, today said that the increase in
Defence funding announced in the 2000-01 Budget is a clear demonstration
of the Coalition Government's continuing commitment to Defence.

"Including East Timor costs and maintained in real terms over the
2001-04 Forward Estimates, Defence departmental appropriations funding
is are up $3014 million compared to estimated actual expenditure in
1999-00." Mr Moore said. "This is in line with the Government's 1998
election commitment, to maintain Defence funding in real terms, and
Australia's ongoing contribution to peacekeeping operations in East Timor.

"The latest Defence budget will increase the capabilities of the Collins
Class submarine and improve the capabilities of our Reserves. It will
also maintain the Australian Defence Force's capability to sustain a
highly ready Army and meet the ADF's Olympic commitments."

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/cgi-bin/client/modele.pl?prod=2233&session=dae.21372365.1150356290.RJELQsOa9dUAABxoVtk&modele=jdc_1


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