Cabinet papers 2003: Howard government sends Australia into the Iraq war

×

Error message

  • Notice: Undefined property: stdClass::$ds_changed in eval() (line 16 of /var/www/7/modules/php/php.module(80) : eval()'d code).
  • Notice: Undefined property: stdClass::$ss_search_api_url in eval() (line 20 of /var/www/7/modules/php/php.module(80) : eval()'d code).
  • Notice: Undefined property: stdClass::$tm_title in eval() (line 20 of /var/www/7/modules/php/php.module(80) : eval()'d code).

By far the most significant decision the Howard government made in 2003 was to support the invasion of Iraq.

Metadata
Provider: 
The ConversationThe Conversation
URL: 
https://theconversation.com/cabinet-papers-2003-howard-government-sends-australia-into-the-iraq-war-217812https://theconversation.com/cabinet-papers-2003-howard-government-sends-australia-into-the-iraq-war-217812
Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 2, 2024
Information
Tags: 
Aborigine, Senate, United Nations Security Council, Foreign Affairs, Diplomacy, Attention, Public opinion, Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, Government, Industry, Environment, Labour, Weapon, Health, Cabinet, PBS, National archives, Department, Health policy, Pressure, Death, Medicare, UN, Intelligence, Defence Act, United Nations, News, News Corporation
Geotags: 
CHINA, IRAN, UNITED STATES, IRAQ, CANADA, ABBOTT, AUSTRALIA
Summary
Key Points: 
  • By far the most significant decision the Howard government made in 2003 was to support the invasion of Iraq.
  • While the Howard government had many other important issues to manage in that year, the Iraq War consumed most attention and sparked most debate in the wider community.

Entering the war

  • But in March 2003, Prime Minister John Howard asked the full cabinet to confirm the decision to commit Australia to war.
  • Howard advised Hollingworth there was no need to refer to the governor-general any decision to commit Australia to war.
  • The governor-general had been consulted but did not need to give his approval, and cabinet had agreed to send Australian troops to war.
  • Howard was determined to take advantage of the Iraq war to strengthen the alliance.
  • In 2003, public opinion was opposed to Australian participation in the war.
  • However, the government was aided by the effusive support of News Corporation papers for its position on the war.

Beyond the war

  • Ten years after the agreement came into force, however, analysis showed it had diverted trade away from the lowest-cost sources.
  • Read more:
    How the US trade deal undermined Australia's PBS

    Other papers relate to health policy.

  • Howard sought to blunt an effective Labor campaign against the erosion of the rate of bulk-billing under Medicare.
  • It described the package as a “decisive step away from the principle of universality that has underpinned Medicare since its inception”.

Resources boom – and missed opportunities

  • This offered hope Australia could maintain a constructive relationship with its closest ally as well as its major trading partner.
  • Three opportunities were missed in 2003.
  • One was to establish a sovereign wealth fund to invest the temporary windfall gains from the mining boom.


David Lee is a member of Australians for War Powers Reform.

Copyright: 
2024 The Conversation. All Rights Reserved.