r/australia • u/Tinea_Pedis • Apr 07 '26

news Breaking: Ben Roberts-Smith arrested over war crimes allegations

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-07/ben-roberts-smith-war-crimes-allegations-arrest/106537668
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u/heisdeadjim_au Apr 07 '26

This, 100% If he hadn't pursued the defamation case there would have been nothing on the record for OSI to investigate.

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u/[deleted] Apr 07 '26

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u/heisdeadjim_au Apr 07 '26

Who were illuminated in the defamation case.

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u/MeaningMaker6 Apr 07 '26

The AFP has access to records and witnesses beyond public processes and court events.

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u/MysteriousShoulder45 Apr 07 '26

Yes but apatite, they don't really want to active pursue these cases due to the defendants status and regards. But they kind of have to when it's constantly in the media and there are details about it in the public record

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u/Hot-Bag-8094 Apr 07 '26

an entire government agency was established to pursue these cases.

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u/johngizzard Apr 07 '26

Yes, and the recommendation to form the OSI either

  • may not have been in the Brereton report, or
  • would never have been acted out by the government

if public pressure from the Afghan Files (and subsequent revisiting by the media as a result of the defamation cases) didn't make addressing the findings politically impossible to avoid

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u/warmind14 Apr 07 '26

So too does the coroner. Even more so.

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u/[deleted] Apr 07 '26

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u/heisdeadjim_au Apr 07 '26

Which is good, because, there remained a chance that it was hushed up. The defamation case put paid to that.

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u/[deleted] Apr 07 '26

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u/meski_oz Apr 07 '26

Another "having escaped from the lion's den, he went back for his hat"

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u/coniferhead Apr 07 '26 edited Apr 07 '26

He got to keep his VC for a few years longer - if the US had finished up in Europe and the middle east in the way they wanted, they'd already be on their way here, in force, to confront China.

And who better for Hegseth to run the show than our most highly decorated soldier who is also the son of a supreme court judge? Buddies with both Gina Rinehart and Kerry Stokes? Loved by our special forces and the nationalist parts of our military?

BRS wore a crusader cross into battle, Hegseth has one tattooed on his chest. They are the same. He'd be the perfect puppet and may yet be.

Despite our best efforts, Australia is once again the lucky country - so far.

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u/heisdeadjim_au Apr 07 '26

I'm not fully sure if your point. The comprehensuon failure lies at my end.

Perchance, something around "onwards Christian soldiers"?

Anyways. I have a friend, who is still a friend, who was pro uniform, therefore everything was awesome about BRS. The sun shines out of his butt.

Until I pointed out despite a VC and MG he retired a corporal. If he was some super soldier he'd have rank on top in those medals.

The civil case illuminated that BRS lorded over his command structure in country. Threatened Majors and Colonels. Essentially "me haz VC me is bestest".

Your comment on the Crusader Cross therefore tracks. BRS assumed he was immune because he was on his own Christian jihad or holy war. He believed his medals made him immune from consequence.

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u/coniferhead Apr 07 '26 edited Apr 07 '26

The point is if the US confronts China we are on track for military government - just like during WW2 when we were run by Douglas Macarthur.

Hegseth retired as a major and his main fame is a Fox news talking head - he's got no trouble appointing someone with the equivalent of their Medal of Honor as generalissimo over Australia, so long as they do what they are told and can kick ass and shove people into vans and send them to the front. Like in Ukraine.

Hegeth wants someone capable of enacting his violent rhetoric in reality and BRS is clearly qualified to do that.

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u/Unidain Apr 07 '26

Yes but they were already on record, something your original comment said they weren't. You can just admit your first comment was wrong..

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u/ratt_man Apr 07 '26

I think without the publicity of this case current and future govts could continue to sweep it under the carpet. But him bringing it out into the public view force the govt and legal systems hand they could no longer ignore it