War Hero's Arrest Cuts Deep into Australian National Psyche
The arrest of decorated war hero Ben Roberts-Smith on charges of committing war crime murders has sent shockwaves through Australia, exposing deep cultural and political divisions in a nation whose identity is profoundly intertwined with military tradition.
From Buckingham Palace to Silverwater Prison
Ben Roberts-Smith, once celebrated as the modern embodiment of the Anzac tradition, now sits on remand in Sydney's Silverwater prison facing five counts of "war crime - murder." The charges relate to the deaths of five Afghan men between April 2009 and October 2012 during his service in Afghanistan.
The former corporal, awarded Australia's highest military honor - the Victoria Cross - for his heroic actions during the battle of Tizak in Afghanistan, has yet to enter a plea. He will likely face a bail hearing this month, with a trial expected to follow much later. Roberts-Smith has consistently denied all allegations against him.
A Nation Divided Along Cultural Fault Lines
The arrest has triggered polarized reactions across Australian society, revealing long-established cultural and political divisions. Former Prime Minister John Howard described Roberts-Smith as "the modern personification of the Anzac tradition," while acknowledging the arrest would "tug at the heartstrings" of many Australians.
Conservative commentator Andrew Bolt posed difficult questions to those defending Roberts-Smith: "Are you fine if our soldiers shoot prisoners in the back? Machine gun a one-legged man who'd surrendered? Murder a handcuffed man already injured after being thrown off a cliff?"
Support has been particularly vocal from rightwing, nationalist, and anti-immigration groups. Pauline Hanson, whose One Nation party is surging in polls, declared she would not "abandon" Roberts-Smith. Billionaire Gina Rinehart expressed confusion about the charges, hoping "compassion and the Aussie spirit" would be extended to the former soldier.
The Legal Precedent and Civil Court Findings
In 2023, a civil court found on the "balance of probabilities" that Roberts-Smith had committed war crimes in Afghanistan. This ruling came in a defamation case brought by Roberts-Smith himself against investigative journalists from Nine newspapers, which ultimately upheld their revelations.
Kerry Stokes, billionaire former head of media company SevenWest, had bankrolled Roberts-Smith's unsuccessful defamation case but has remained silent following the arrest. Meanwhile, prominent Liberal Andrew Hastie, a former SAS soldier who testified against Roberts-Smith during the defamation hearing, emphasized that "none of us are above the law."
Anzac Tradition as Civil Religion
Historian Ken Inglis famously described the Anzac legend as a "civil religion" in Australia, reflecting its deep connection to national identity. The term, originally an abbreviation of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps formed in 1914, has become shorthand for Australian forces in foreign conflicts.
Professor Marilyn Lake from the University of Melbourne, who co-authored the controversial 2010 book "What's Wrong with Anzac?" challenging aspects of this national myth, noted: "I had people frequently accusing me of being a traitor." She observed that while some heat has dissipated from Anzac worship, the tradition remains a powerful touchstone for identity politics.
Heightened Cultural Divisions
Dr. Sebastian Svegaard from Queensland University of Technology's Digital Media Research Centre warned the case could initially heighten existing cultural divisions. "When it goes to a sense of identity or core beliefs people can get very emotional," he explained. "From the point of view of someone who does believe Roberts-Smith is a hero, it might appear as if they're suddenly being told to change their opinion of not just him, but also of themselves or those beliefs."
The Australian Flag Society, a Christian nationalist group campaigning for Roberts-Smith's absolution, posted a controversial image depicting an Australian soldier kicking an Afghan man off a cliff. When asked if supporters found this acceptable, responses ranged from disapproval to enthusiastic support, with comments like "War is war, kill or be killed" and "I don't care what he did to save Australian lives."
The Broader Implications
Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott expressed his "instinctive sympathy" for special forces soldiers from the Afghanistan campaign, describing the rules of engagement as "highly restrictive" and arguing it's "wrong to judge the actions of men in mortal combat by the standards of ordinary civilian life."
As Australia grapples with these charges against its most decorated living soldier, the case raises fundamental questions about national identity, military conduct, and the rule of law. The trial, when it eventually proceeds, promises to be one of the most significant legal and cultural events in recent Australian history, testing the nation's ability to reconcile heroic military tradition with accountability for alleged wartime conduct.
