Carr warns against Iran attack
AUSTRALIA’S new Foreign Minister, Bob Carr, advocated against attacking Iran as recently as two weeks ago on his private blog.
AUSTRALIA’S new Foreign Minister, Bob Carr, advocated against attacking Iran as recently as two weeks ago on his private blog.
The former NSW premier strongly recommended that his subscribers on Thoughtlines with Bob Carr consider reading a recent article on CNN that declared Iran’s regime is not crazy.
“Over the past decade, there have been thousands of suicide bombings by Saudis, Egyptians, Lebanese, Palestinians and Pakistanis, but not a single suicide attack by an Iranian,” read the CNN article recommended by Carr.
Carr himself went further on January 8 when he was discussing Australia’s role on the world stage ahead of the US presidential election.
“We need to get through this presidential election without war talk creating war. Australia has one role: to talk the Americans back from the brink.”
Although Carr hasn’t retracted his views on Iran, he told media after he was named foreign minister that the blog represents his personal views and he will now represent Australia’s position.
Zionist Federation of Australia president Philip Chester said it was unfair to judge his stance on “a very, very complicated question”.
“There are lots of arguments for and against pre-emptive strikes [on Iran], including in Israel as well,” he said.
“I think the important point at this stage is does he understand the grave risk that Iran represents to Israel and the world, [and] basically, I think he does.”
Chester described Carr as a “champion of human rights and democracy”.
“I think overall he brings a lot of knowledge and understanding to the table,” he said.
“We’re hopeful that he’ll continue the strong support of this government for understanding Israel’s concerns and supporting a negotiated two-state solution.”
Apart from a 2003 clash with the community when Carr, then NSW premier, presented the Sydney Peace Prize to Palestinian politician and activist Hanan Ashrawi, he is widely known as a supporter of the Jewish community and Israel and his appointment has been welcomed by Australian Jewish leaders.
“Bob Carr has a long record of support for Israel and the cause of democracy and human rights. He was a founder of Labor Friends of Israel in the 1970s, campaigned actively for the freedom of Soviet Jews, and has been an outspoken champion of Israel’s right to exist in peace and security,” said Executive Council of Australian Jewry’s president, Dr Danny Lamm.
Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) executive director Dr Colin Rubenstein applauded Carr’s long association with the Jewish community and record of support for Israel.
“AIJAC’s positive working relationship with him goes back to the time before he was in Parliament, when he was an outstanding journalist and Labour council activist,” he said.
“We trust he will be an effective colleague to Prime Minister Gillard in furthering the government’s policies in a range of areas, including maintaining the primacy of the Australia/US alliance, opposition to the dishonest and damaging Palestinian campaign for unilateral recognition of statehood, and the imperative of preventing Iran acquiring nuclear weapons,” he said.
GARETH NARUNSKY
New foreign minister Bob Carr (Photo: Nathan Smith/AJN file)
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