CPA - Peace

The massive increase in US military presence in Australia will bring war and instability to our region. Recent decisions will make us poorer not safer and move Australia in a negative direction, threatening to bring war to our door.

We refer to the multiple announcements about the US and Australian military cooperation covering the period from visit to the Australia by President Obama in November 2011 to late March 2012. We reject the stationing of US troops in Australia, the use of Australian territory as a base for drones, be they surveillance or weapon enhanced ones, and the basing of US nuclear submarines in Stirling WA. We believe in an Australia that can be independent and non-aligned rather than cemented into the US global war fighting strategy which alarms our neighbours, upsets our major trading partner, drives a regional arms race, and is contrary to Australia’s interests and well being.

Australia’s military budget is excessive because of our subservience to the US military. We call on you and your government to shave the military budget by 10% and redirect the money saved to socially useful programs. We are fearful that the Government’s all out drive to create a budget surplus will mean that much needed social and environmental programs will be cut while the military will have their guaranteed 3% rise. We call on you to put Australia on track to better relations with the countries in our region based on mutual respect rather than force and aggression. Please act for the good of all Australians not for the interests of the US Government and its greedy arms corporations.

Yours sincerely

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