This statement came from the Independent Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN) website
Media release: Friday 7th April, 2017
The Independent and Peaceful Australia Network urges Australian Government to work for a diplomatic resolution in Syria.
“The Australian government should adopt a policy of diplomacy to solve the ongoing conflict in Syria, rather than following the U.S. in escalating the conflict by missile or other strikes,” said Jo Valentine, spokesperson for the Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN).
“The U.S. air strikes have the potential to trigger a major world war engulfing many countries.
“We must not allow Australia to be drawn further into the U.S. attacks on Syria. We don’t know the facts of the situation in Syria and the only outcome from the strikes that is certain is more death and misery for Syrians.
“Australia must urge restraint on President Trump. We have seen where America’s adventurism has misled us in the past – to mayhem, destruction and suffering in the Middle East and terrorism globally.
“Obviously bombing has not worked to deal with this six-year long conflict. Why keeping doing what hasn’t worked? Identifying the ‘good guys’ in Syria is difficult, but what is not difficult, is identifying the good people of Syria suffering by the millions. If they’ve fled the terror, they have to deal with being refugees, wherever they land, and there are millions still trapped at home.
“Australia should be delivering as much assistance as possible, on the ground, or in nearby refugee camps, and it should have the guts to tell the Americans to desist. And to declare that Australia will not be joining the latest round of killings.
Every war ends with some kind of diplomatic / political settlement. Australia should be recommending that the killing phase give way immediately to the tough negotiations which are required.
When Vice-President Pence visits Australia shortly, IPAN urges our government to show some courage, and inject some sanity into the current debacle. We owe it to our “great friend and ally” to let them know that blaming and bombing is not working, to urge restraint, and to be clear that we support a diplomatic course of action.
We call on the Australian government to adopt an independent and peaceful foreign policy.”
