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Media Release 15 August 2019
Speak Out @ Lavarack Barracks
on endless war, endless lies
and whistle blowers
Concerned citizens will speak out against the endless lies of the endless wars and in defence of Australian whistle blowers Julian Assange and David McBride
11 am Friday 16 August 2019
at the gates of the Lavarack Barracks
University Road, Townsville
The SpeakOut will be hosted by Graeme Dunstan of Peacebus. Graeme is a Duntroon dropout, a long time itinerant peace activist and a one time organiser for Stand Fast, the national association of veterans opposing the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Mr Dunstan will be using the occasion to unveil a new banner which he has painted in the defence of David MacBride, the whistle blower who will be facing charges in the ACT Supreme Court on 22 August.
McBride had done two tours of Afghanistan as part of the Australian SAS and was serving as an SAS lawyer when he released documents, the so called Afghan Files which revealed war crimes and cover ups by the SAS and Commandos.
"McBride is now facing life in jail but I believe that David McBride, like Townsville born Julian Assange, he has done a great public service by revealing the true nature of the US wars in Afghanistan and elsewhere and how this has changed the ADF," said Mr Dunstan.
"Thanks to McBride, we know that in the seventeen years of ADF operations in Afghanistan under US Command, the Australian special forces evolved a toxic culture of murder, lies and cover ups."
"It is important that army personnel and their families know what SAS and Commandos have been doing in our name all those years, know what crimes and cover ups were being committed and what stress veterans bear as a result."
"We know that the Brereton Inquiry is soon to release its long awaited report on the operations of the special forces in Afghanistan. But we have no confidence that the Australian Government will allow the truth to be revealed."
"The toxic culture of the special forces is now embedded in the command structure of the ADF.
"How can it ever be removed unless the truth is told?"
"Cover ups of cover ups is what we can expect."
"Which is why we need whistle blowers and why we must protect them and the service they give."
Further information
Graeme Dunstan, Peacebus.com 0407 951 688
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