2026-03-10
The announcement today from the Albanese Labor Government to send an E-7A Wedgetail aircraft to the Gulf and provide medium-range air-to-air missiles to the UAE shows Australia has been fully dragged into another US forever war.
Nearly 100 Australian military personnel will be sent to the Gulf this week with the military equipment.
This follows the illegal war launched by the US and Israel on Iran over a week ago that has already escalated, causing chaos across the region and across the global economy.
Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Leader said:
“Australians do not want to get dragged into Trump and Netanyahu’s illegal war on Iran.
“Labor shouldn’t be sending troops to help a military that’s killed 150 schoolchildren in a primary school bombing. That will only escalate an illegal conflict that’s already spiralling out of control, and leave Australia trapped in yet another forever war.
“Every day Trump and Netanyahu’s demands of Australia keep growing. It was refuelling US spy planes yesterday, a recon jet and missiles today, and could be ever more troops tomorrow. Labor has no red lines when it comes to appeasing Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu.
“The Government’s assertion that our personnel and equipment will only be used for defence is a fig leaf. Our presence at best will free up other facilities for more offence, and at worst, we will be further dragged into offensive action, risking the lives of 100 Australian personnel.
“Labor, the Liberals and One Nation should listen to the overwhelming majority of Australians who do not want to be dragged into Trump and Netanyahu’s latest forever war.
“To keep civilians safe we should be urging peace, not sending missiles.”
Senator David Shoebridge, Greens Spokesperson on Defence and Foreign Affairs, said:
“Labor has learnt nothing from Iraq and Afghanistan, and so are joining with the Coalition and One Nation to follow the US into another forever war.
“Every military asset Labor sends to the Gulf frees up US and Israeli assets to continue to the illegal attacks on Iran.
“This request for Australian troops may well have been sent from the Gulf, but it originated in Washington.
“Almost every other nation is managing to get its citizens out of the Gulf without sending missiles and troops.
“This troop deployment is directly contrary to Australia’s national interest, it places Australian personnel directly in harm’s way when the UAE is not an ally or a critical trading partner. It is however, in the national interest of the United States, which is why Labor is doing it.
“We did not send dozens of Australian troops and missiles to Lebanon when it was under attack, despite the tens of thousands of Lebanese Australians there in desperate need of protection.
“It's been just over a week and the mission creep and deception from Labor is frightening. Labor has gone from supporting the war politically, to having Australian personnel part of US military attacks, to now putting troops on the ground.
“If we want to protect people in the region, the best thing the Albanese Government could do is call for an end to the war, withdraw support and stop all military engagement.”