Page 798 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 12 March 1991
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I think some of the people who have been much maligned by the peace movement in this country and throughout the West - that peace movement, I think, really has been well and truly put in its place by the events of this war, and its moral bankruptcy has been shown - should have some credit given to them. Firstly, I refer to Mr George Bush, the President of the United States, and the other world leaders in the West; people such as the British Prime Minister, John Major, and indeed our own Prime Minister, Bob Hawke, who I felt behaved exceptionally well during the entire conflict and did behave like a statesman. I refer also to the people on the ground, the soldiers of the allied forces, especially their Arab allies, and, indeed, General Schwarzkopf, who fought an exceptionally good campaign with minimal loss of allied life.
I think, Mr Speaker, that this is quite an historic campaign. I am glad it is over. I am delighted that none of our forces were involved in fatalities. That really is truly wonderful. I hope now that we have some chance of a lasting peace, or at least an improvement in that very troubled area of the Middle East.
Gulf War
MR MOORE (9.40): Mr Speaker, I cannot let Mr Stefaniak's sentiments go unchallenged. The great tragedy of this war is that we finally had the opportunity to resolve an international crisis without going to war. Instead, the resolution to go to war was followed and the problem was solved that way. It is a great tragedy that we have not learnt that war is not the way to resolve an international crisis.
Gulf War
DR KINLOCH (9.41): I would like to endorse Mr Moore's comments and to say that the peace movement is a very complicated movement. Indeed, it is not one movement; it is all sorts of movements. Some of the movements within the so-called peace movement are very belligerent; indeed, even, I think, pro-war, but not necessarily against the side against which they are protesting.
I would not like this time to go by without recognising the very great courage of the people of Israel, in particular, for refusing to fire back at the power which was devastating them with missiles. I am not going to say that the people of Israel are part of a peace movement; but I think that in practical terms, in this particular war, they showed incredible restraint and I think we should honour them.
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