War Talk: Dangerous, Divisive

Talk of war with China serves only the interests of a cynical few - whilst making the world dangerous for everyone.

On ANZAC day, 28 April 2021, Michael Pezzullo, secretary of the Department of Home Affairs, made an extraordinary speech, urging Australians to brace ourselves, yet again, “for the curse of war” – with China.

Using ANZAC day to make such a speech is deeply problematic, not least because Pezzullo drew a false and misleading analogy between a past war and potential future war.

A future war with China, or with any other great power, will be unlike any conflict we have known; it will be unwinnable, and probably catastrophic.

A few days later, newly-appointed Minister of Defence, Peter Dutton, also indulged in war talk, saying that ‘ordinary Australians’ supported a tougher stance towards China.

It is not rational, and it is not in Australia’s interests, to talk up war. War talk is in itself dangerous – with Australia’s diplomatic capacity at an all-time low, the likelihood of miscalculation is high. War talk is divisive – it creates fear and confusion and makes rational debate near impossible; it affects the daily lives of Asian Australians.

War talk also misrepresents the capacity of the Australian military: we simply cannot militarily confront China, and would likely be unable even to fully defend our own borders.

War talk only serves the interests of those who indulge in it – a cynical exercise in fearmongering in order to divert attention and increase personal and political power – whilst making the world a more dangerous place for the rest of us.

Read MAPW VP Dr Margie Beavis’ response, published in the Canberra Times 20/5/21

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