January 1st 2025.
Recently released cabinet documents have provided more insight into Australia's regrettable decision to get involved in the Iraq war over two decades ago. These once-secret records from 2004, which were made public today, reveal that the Howard government had been warned to prepare for the possibility of an Australian citizen being taken as a hostage during the ongoing conflict in Iraq.
Back in 2003, Australia had committed troops to join the US-led invasion of Iraq, based on faulty information. However, former Prime Minister John Howard has clarified that this decision was not made with any malicious intent. In light of this, it is heartbreaking to learn that the youngest victim of the South Korea crash was a toddler on their first trip abroad.
The collection of documents includes papers from the powerful National Security Committee, covering a range of topics such as Iraq, defense procurement, regional relationships, and the threat of terrorism. One particular document that stands out is a letter from the then-foreign minister Alexander Downer, outlining contingency plans in case an Australian citizen fell victim to a hostage situation.
These plans were based on the belief that the Iraqi regime possessed weapons of mass destruction, which was later proven to be false in January 2004. As the cabinet papers were being prepared for public release, Howard expressed disappointment in the failure of US intelligence, which had convinced Australia to participate in the war. He stated that the decision was made in good faith, based on all the available intelligence, but ultimately they were wrong.
In fact, in January 2004, the Bush administration in the US acknowledged that their justification for invading Iraq had been unfounded. Now, after 20 years, the Australian cabinet documents are being unsealed and shared with the public by the National Archives on January 1. To stay updated with the latest breaking news, sports, politics, and weather, you can download the 9News app, available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play. With this app, you can receive notifications straight to your smartphone.
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