Source : Perth Now news
Karl Stefanovic has claimed in his latest podcast episode that Australian soldiers have been “let down” by the arrest of alleged war criminal Ben Roberts-Smith.
In the latest episode of The Karl Stefanovic Show, the Today Show host discussed the recent arrest of the former SAS soldier over allegations he committed a series of war crimes in Afghanistan.
Speaking with military lawyer Glenn Kolomeitz and former SAS commander Mark Wales, Stefanovic said he thought the arrest may dissuade potential ADF recruits from joining for fear of persecution.
“I don’t know how anyone can now go and fight for us in the SAS or in any department of the defence force without the thought in the back of your mind that you’re not necessarily going to be protected,” Stefanovic said.
“People do need to be reminded of what our armed services do … you’ve got to do things that normal people don’t do on a daily basis.
“I just feel like, personally, that we’ve let you all down. I feel like not having the support for you guys and what’s happened as a result … has let you guys down.”
Mr Wales, a former SAS commander who made four deployments to Afghanistan, said the pursuit of criminal charges by Australia’s top police force could “affect people’s calculation on what is worth joining as a military force”.
“If you feel like you’re going to be asked to do something incredibly risky, like being asked to harm or kill people, and then have it gone over by a team of prosecuting lawyers … I wouldn’t even bother joining,” Mr Wales said.
“There are a lot of cases where soldiers are being investigated, and rightly so if there have been breaches of the rules of engagement,” he said.
“But I’d like to see an equivalent level of focus and money spent on understanding how senior commanders kept stumbling through a war that was not working and very unwinnable.”
Mr Roberts-Smith has been charged with five counts of war crime – murder over incidents alleged to have taken place between 2009 and 2012.
He was arrested at Sydney Airport by the Australian Federal Police on Tuesday.
The Victoria Cross recipient was remanded in custody and is expected to make an application for bail in the coming days.
Numerous high-profile Australian identities have thrown their support behind him in the wake of his arrest, including One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and boxer Danny Green.
