MILITARY TRAINING OPPOSED


The Australian Department of Defence describes the purpose of upcoming military training exercises:

The Talisman Saber series of exercises are conducted biennially in Australia with the United States. Talisman Saber 2007 is designed to train Australian and US Forces in planning and conducting Combined Task Force operations, which will help improve ADF/US combat readiness and interoperability.

According to Father Terry Fitzpatrick the war games will have sinister consequences:

"We remember the many thousands of innocent Iraqi and Afghani people who will be on the receiving end of these war exercises," Fr Fitzpatrick said.

"We gather today to say we don't want Australia to be participating in their murder anymore under the umbrella of the US military."

Yep, we really should be more sporting and send untrained forces into the field.

Anglicans are also unhappy:

Victoria's Anglican leaders are protesting over Australia's involvement with US war exercises.

At the annual Anglican Synod in East Melbourne, church leaders expressed concerns over nuclear-powered ships, the possible use of munitions with depleted uranium and the potentially harmful use of sonar to vulnerable marine animals.

And just imagine the carbon emissions.