Nexus - 0108 - New Times Magazine-pages

Page 40 of 60

Page 40 of 60
Nexus - 0108 - New Times Magazine-pages

Page Content (OCR)

level of debate on alternatives to ANZUS from the more usual simple anti-Americanism by offering practical proposals for peace activists. The first half of the book looks at the historical background to ANZUS and the treaty itself, which is vague as to obliga- tions and the areas it covers. Suter describes it as a ‘manifes- tation of Australia’s past approach to foreign and defence policy’. On the two occasions Australia sought US assis- tance in regional crises no help was given. Both times Indonesia was involved - the 1963 takeover of West New Guinea and the 1963-65 confrontation with Malaysia, when Australian troops fought in Bornco. The second half of the book examines studies done under Liberal and Labor governments and their conclusions that Australian national security is not under threat from within our region. This is the starting point for alternatives to ANZUS. The peace movement ‘should be much more active and posi- tive in reassuring fellow Australians that Australia is a rea- sonably secure nation’. A ten point ‘Action Programme’ is put forward, based ou removing fears about Australia without ANZUS and building support for multilateral disarmament. This programme advocates not attacking ANZUS itself - which wastes the peace movement’s energies and gives critics a stick to beat it with - but addressing the colonial mentality that ANZUS is an expression of. Australia’s security from attack should be emphasised. Despite recent instability in the South Pacific there is no threat to Australia, only to Australian interests. Suter calls for the establishment of a Ministry for Peace, with responsibility for preparing an annual National Security Assessment, drafting disarmament policies and con- ducting disarmament negotiations. Finally, Mr Suter on the US bases in Australia; "If the bases are as important to the US as is widely suspected, then the US will remove an Australian Govern- ment before it removes the bases. Consequently I believe that those bases in Australia which assist in verification should be internationalised (Pine Gap). Those components which are part of a US ‘first-strike’ capability should be opposed (Nurrungar and Northwest Cape). One value of this approach is that it forces into the open the exact purpose of all foreign bases in Australia. The peace movement wouldn't be blindly anti-American in calling for the removal of all bases. It would simply be endorsing - subject to international guidelines - the value of verification" (our Italics). In 1982 the UN General Assembly passed a resolution recommending the establishment of an International Satellite Monitoring Agency. Ncither the US nor the USSR supported this resolution, although 126 other countries, including Aus- tralia, voted ‘yes’. Anyone committed to peace work and the peace movement will benefit from reading this thoughtful and challenging book. - Gerard Keith Suter, [S THERE LIFE AFTER ANZUS: NEW DIRECTIONS FOR THE PEACE MOVEMENT, Pluto Press, PO Box 199 Leichhardt, NSW 2040, $9.95. level of debate on alternatives to ANZUS from the more usual simple anti-Americanism by offering practical proposals for peace activists. The first half of the book looks at the historical background to ANZUS and the treaty itself, which is vague as to obliga- tions and the areas it covers. Suter describes it as a ‘manifes- tation of Australia’s past approach to foreign and defence policy’. On the two occasions Australia sought US assis- tance in regional crises no help was given. Both times Indonesia was involved - the 1963 takeover of West New Guinea and the 1963-65 confrontation with Malaysia, when Australian troops fought in Bornco. The second half of the book examines studies done under Liberal and Labor governments and their conclusions that Australian national security is not under threat from within our region. This is the starting point for alternatives to ANZUS. The peace movement ‘should be much more active and posi- tive in reassuring fellow Australians that Australia is a rea- sonably secure nation’. A ten point ‘Action Programme’ is put forward, based ou removing fears about Australia without ANZUS and building support for multilateral disarmament. This programme advocates not attacking ANZUS itself - which wastes the peace movement’s energies and gives critics a stick to beat it with - but addressing the colonial mentality that ANZUS is an expression of. Australia’s security from attack should be emphasised. Despite recent instability in the South Pacific there is no threat to Australia, only to Australian interests. Suter calls for the establishment of a Ministry for Peace, with responsibility for preparing an annual National Security Assessment, drafting disarmament policies and con- ducting disarmament negotiations. Finally, Mr Suter on the US bases in Australia; "If the bases are as important to the US as is widely suspected, then the US will remove an Australian Govern- ment before it removes the bases. Consequently | believe that those bases in Australia which assist in verification should be internationalised (Pine Gap). Those components which are part of a US ‘first-strike’ capability should be opposed (Nurrungar and Northwest Cape). One value of this approach is that it forces into the open the exact purpose of all foreign bases in Australia. The peace movement wouldn't be blindly anti-American in calling for the removal of all bases. It would simply be endorsing - subject to international guidelines - the value of verification" (our Italics). In 1982 the UN General Assembly passed a resolution recommending the establishment of an International Satellite Monitoring Agency. Ncither the US nor the USSR supported this resolution, although 126 other countries, including Aus- tralia, voted ‘yes’. Anyone committed to peace work and the peace movement will benefit from reading this thoughtful and challenging book. - Gerard Keith Suter, [S THERE LIFE AFTER ANZUS: NEW DIRECTIONS FOR THE PEACE MOVEMENT, Pluto Press, PO Box 199 Leichhardt, NSW 2040, $9.95. Ret y » Atom D - Gerard Keith Suter, [S THERE LIFE AFTER ANZUS: NEW DIRECTIONS FOR THE PEACE MOVEMENT, Pluto Press, PO Box 199 Leichhardt, NSW 2040, $9.95.