SAS Soldier's dilemma re PC Leadership - Operational Leadership - PC Ethics & Morality Training
This letter was written by a former SASR trooper in response to recent allegations against the Regiment.
The writer served 14 years in the ADF, 9 years as a Royal Australian Regiment infantryman and 5 years with the Special Air Service Regiment. He obviously wants to remain anonymous because his would be aware that todays Generals regard 'Staff Leadership' as a higher priority that Operational Leadership and he would be sacrificed on the alter of political correctness if his identity was revealed:
'The Special Air Service Regiment seeks out and destroys Australia’s most dangerous enemies.
'It targets the leaders of terror organisations who are shielded by suicidal, heavily armed Jihadis embedded amongst co-operative “civilians”.
'Our enemies don’t like us and they do their best to kill us with no moral restraint and complete impunity. The Mujahideen don’t have much use for a Human Rights Commission.
'The SAS cannot fight enemies like that by adhering to normal Western moral standards. If we did, it would be leveraged as a weakness by the enemy. We have to keep them guessing about our limits. I wouldn’t deploy if I was working with blokes who operated like predictable Mr Nice Guys.
'The ADF is currently conducting a full-blown enquiry into "rumours of possible breaches of the laws of armed conflict” by Australian special forces in Afghanistan. We are alleged to have operated with “disregard for human life and dignity”. Fair enough. I don’t know one bloke I served with who has a high regard for the lives of terrorists. There’s nothing dignified about IEDs and their fighting methods either.
'We are not sent out to deliver a personal dignity entitlement to our enemies. We go out to kill them.
'Right now the Chief of Defence Force is doing immense damage to our troops deployed in Afghanistan.
'Australian taxpayers are paying for ads in the Afghani press encouraging Afghanis to dob in Australian troops for war crimes. How idiotic is that? What a propaganda gold mine; and you can be certain the enemy will be using it against us.
'The Australian enquiry will receive heaps of responses from the enemy, let’s face it they are embedded among the local Afghans.
'And what will it achieve? How do you think Australian troops will respond to allegations against them from the enemy? This might be difficult for outsiders to hear, but even if boundaries have been overstepped, unless the entire patrol turned on each other there will be little chance of any evidence to support any claims made by the enemy or Afghan civilians.
'SAS troops obey orders. We go where we’re ordered to go and act as we’re ordered to act. There’s no allegations that I know of that say SAS troops have failed to obey orders.
'Whatever’s been done has been the work of a highly disciplined team of professional, accountable soldiers operating within their own internal chain of command - and that goes all the way to the top. Smiling politicians are always on hand to get their photo taken and congratulate us on our results. Well God help any ADF leadership that tries to hang a few young troopers out to dry.
'So what are we stuck with?
? A bombardment of allegations that will ALL have to be investigated at taxpayer expense.
? SAS unit members taken away from their duties to “help” the investigation and for interviews with investigators.
? The usual bags of tax payers money given to the enemy in compensation for alleged wrongdoing by us - even if unproven
? SAS tactics and operational security compromised by our own Government and Defence force due to a call for an open investigation and for transparency from left wing journalists to mention a few.
? Resentments amongst the SAS members and as is common practice much more secrecy, which is a certainty at the grass root levels.
'The ADF’s investigation into the rumours has already been leaked to Fairfax and the ABC who've made the leaked material public.
'As a result of Fairfax and the ABC’s reports, the Russians have now joined in to make life more difficult for us in the field.
'On Saturday the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement about “The crimes committed by Australian troops in Afghanistan”.
'Using the ABC and Fairfax’s reports, the Russian statement said Australians have engaged in “systematic, unauthorized and groundless use of weapons, particularly against civilians.” It quotes the ABC as the source for “shocking facts about cold-blooded murders committed by Australian soldiers in Afghanistan”.
'Total bullshit, created by our taxpayer funded broadcaster to be used by our enemies against us.
'The ABC is always going on about Russia and scandals.
'Looks like they've made one of their own.
'There are plenty of problems in Australian society.
'There is definitely a problem in the ADF.
'But it’s not the war fighters.
'It’s our leadership and the tone they set - from the PM down.
Signed, John Anon.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/…/9970f371d73318dcd8f3d6e4
Military Physical and Recreational Training
4 年Wow it's about time this issue was spoken out loud... as a former ADF Army member I followed orders... I proudly performed my military duties to protect Australia as an Aussie soldier.
Field Technician. Defense. at Cubic Defense Systems Inc
5 年Well said. Well written. Unfortunately, likely to fall on ignorantly deaf ears.
Property Acquisition Specialist & Growth Strategist | The Unreasonable Friend Steering Impactful Property Decisions & Wealth Driving Strategies | 25+ Years Experience | Class One Real Estate License and Auctioneer
5 年I hear you. Hindsight & never in the heat.
Senior Complex System Consultant in Business, Cyber, Security & Integration issues & opportunities.
6 年I am late to this conversation, but during my 20 years as a Citizen Soldier and a leader of such within the Australian military forces, I always saw my leadership role included responsibility for emphasising the values of Australian Society's morality into the more professional comrades, including Special Forces.? All warfare is inherently an amoral activity. It is a compromise between the moral compass of our Australian Society and the practical necessity of reducing the harm of other immoral actions by opponents to our society, our families, neighbours and friends. It is a balancing act, guided by the International "Rules of Warfare" and the Australian Military Law and Regulations, which is about as robust a set of limits as anyone in the World has imposed. BUT eventually, its the individual moral compass of each person wearing the uniform, their allegiance to the culture of previous service-persons, and now bearing arms on the Australian citizen's behalf. It's a personal responsibility of each of us; volunteers all; to represent our mothers, fathers, aunts, sisters and brothers, sons and daughters.? My measure of right and wrong over the 20 years was if I though I could stand in front of older veterans (WW2, Korea and Vietnam in my case) with my head high, look them in the eyes without feeling personal shame at my representative actions. Its a personal responsibility each Australian Soldier, Airman, Seaman has for the reputation and honour of all who came before you. Its the 100 years of preceding pride in being an Australian Serviceman. I would not presume to judge others who came before, or come after me. That is their personal responsibility and cross to bear. I already carry my own.? John
Technical Support Representative
6 年I suspect the vocal minority of do- gooders would be the ones bleating the loudest if our country should be directly threatened by these extremists. These (SAS) guys do what they have to do, distasteful as it is. Some of them suffer personally long term to protect the whingers and whiners.