Australians oppose Afghan war, escalation

This Australian TV video says about itself

Peace activists have accused the Federal Government of Australia acting deceptively in toughening penalties for people who protest against the US Pine Gap spy base.

From the Independent Weekly in Australia:

Two-thirds oppose sending more troops …

Australia has a little more than 1000 soldiers deployed in Afghanistan.

The Nielsen poll surveyed 1400 voters last week, a few days after the news that two Australian soldiers had been killed in Afghanistan.

Asked for their views on Australia’s involvement in the war, 51 per cent of respondents said they opposed it, and 44 per cent said they supported it. The remainder were undecided.

The slender majority opposing Australian involvement was broadly consistent with earlier polls on the war.

But there was a wider gap when respondents were told that the US might seek an increase in Australia’s troop commitment and asked for their views. Sixty-six per cent opposed sending more Australian troops; 30 per cent supported a bigger commitment.

Sentiment against Australian involvement in the war in Afghanistan was significantly stronger amongst women than men, and among Labor voters than Coalition supporters.

The strong public opposition to increasing troop numbers could present problems for the Government.

The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, has said the US plans to intensify Afghan security force training and step up diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict are “absolutely right.”

The problem is that the majority of Australians opposed to the Afghan war, and the big majority opposed to its escalation, are hardly represented in the Australian parliament. As both Rudd´s ´new´Labor and the conservative Coalition are pro war.

Anti Afghan war demonstration in London, England, on Wednesday, April 1: here.

Industrial action for peace: The Communist Party of Australia and antiwar activity before 1960: here.