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News & Current Events Apr 7, 2026 at 1:42 PM

Former Australian soldier charged with committing 5 war crime murders in Afghanistan

Posted by igetproteinfartsHELP

Former Australian soldier charged with committing 5 war crime murders in Afghanistan
AP News
Former Australian soldier charged with committing 5 war crime murders in Afghanistan
Australia’s most decorated living veteran, Ben Roberts-Smith, faces war crime charges on allegations that he killed five unarmed Afghans while serving in Afghanistan from 2009 to 2012.
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Thoresus 3 days ago +591
Best thing is its sort of an own goal. He sued a media organisation for doing a story of him committing warcrimes. The media organisation used the truth defence. They were able to prove that it was more probable than not that he committed warcrimes. He lost the defamation case and due to the Streisand effect, enough interest was generated to investigate. Also some very wealthy right wing Australia business people funded his legal team which itself says something.
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ExZowieAgent 3 days ago +90
He went Oscar Wilde. Never go full Oscar Wilde.
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GoldLeaderStandngBy 3 days ago +148
>Also some very wealthy right wing Australia business people funded his legal team which itself says something. That wealthy conservatives are soulless ghouls who actively support evil just because they love cruelty and malice? Got it!
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36characters 3 days ago -144
Because of cruelty and malice isn’t the own this clanker thinks it is lol - this entire website is just straight trash
-144
Trollensky17 3 days ago +24
What the hell
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GildedDreams25 3 days ago +38
tf are you saying
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whiskydyc 3 days ago +22
Cruelty and malice are not so bad, is that it?
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colostitute 3 days ago +6
As long as both parties know the safe word.
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36characters 3 days ago -24
I don’t think the elite, wealthy and privileged are realistic. I don’t defend those people or believe they’ll look out for me. Currently all wealthy people are bad people to the common person.
-24
Bec_son 3 days ago +17
they'd actively sell your organs to make a buck, they are actively poisoning towns for profit they are actively wanting to make people a number on their lists.
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Voidlarkus 3 days ago +2
Certain areas of life probably seem pretty easy when one lacks the capacity for empathy, and then one day you wake up alone and unsettled, being eaten away by an empty feeling inside you can't quite understand, and then for a single moment of self-awareness realize that nobody in the entire world cares for you either and they never will and even though you know it shouldn't bother you, it does
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36characters 3 days ago -2
Yes I agree the president and his pedophile cabal will all face consequences for their behavior 
-2
pintita 3 days ago +13
Streisand effect in action.
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metametapraxis 3 days ago +11
He was already under investigation. And he is not the only one. Warcrimes are commonplace in modern warfare. We just like to say ‘thankyou for your service’ and pretend it isn’t.
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Giuseppe_exitplan 3 days ago +2
He went back for his hat
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Dr-Ulzy 3 days ago +201
Not just “former soldier”. He has the Victoria Cross. Thats the highest award for gallantry Australia bestows. The fall from grace has been long, and in slow motion.
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pintita 3 days ago +69
Most decorated living Australian soldier.
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ArseBurner 3 days ago +16
I recall watching a UK documentary on the VC that said it can never be stripped, and that "you could go to the gallows with it". Does AUS roll the same way?
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Toomanyeastereggs 3 days ago +25
Nope. It can be removed by the Governor General and it’s dependent on the court outcome. If he is found guilty of these crimes, he’ll be stripped on the medal.
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Dadsky 3 days ago
Both the UK and AUS VC have Forfeiture clauses written into their Warrant. It has been used eight times since 1861, but never to an Australian and also not at all since 1920. I hope that number becomes nine and one.
0
KeyedFeline 3 days ago +1
it could happen but its much less likely hes found guilty in a criminal case since the civil one was just on a balance of probability and he might of done it, the bar is very low in civil cases
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CosmicCheeseFactory 3 days ago +1
There are hours and hours of video and hundreds of photos, plus about twenty former colleagues testifying against him. I think the fact his lawyer didn’t even bother applying for bail tells you all you need to know.
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International_Goat31 3 days ago +76
Well thank f***. It felt for the longest time like nothing was being done about him because he was well connected.
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Y0___0Y 3 days ago +89
The Americans who committed war crimes all got off because of Trump’s DOJ. A Navy Seal was shooting old men and children for fun. They had captured a 14 year old jihadist, and this guy pulled out a knife, stabbed the kid in the stomach until he died, and then took a selfie with the corpse. He was reported by his subordinates but Trump’s DOJ just let him off and called all the people who reported him liars. And everyone is shocked that Trump is calling for the end of civilization in Iran today.
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IcarusActual 3 days ago +45
https://www.npr.org/2019/07/03/738463353/jury-reduces-navy-seals-rank-for-taking-photo-with-corpse-of-isis-fighter This is an article about the incident.
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jackcatalyst 3 days ago +8
The Blackwater guys were all pardoned by Trump in his first term.
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SnepButts 3 days ago +13
This information should be taken into account in every interaction with someone that voted that monster into power. We knew what he was. They knew what he was. They decided that hurting people different than them was a better cause than helping people.
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Explursions 3 days ago +2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Service-Members%27_Protection_Act I highly doubt the ICC would try to prosecute any American regardless of the current president with this bad boy still in play.
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Accomplished-Pay-633 3 days ago -1
Did you hear his sean ryan interview?
-1
Wise_Ad_6822 3 days ago +52
Hopefully he gets convicted. He's pure evil, human garbage.
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figurative-trash 3 days ago +8
Meanwhile in the US, they sanctioned ICC officials for wanting to investigate US involvement in war crimes.
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EquivalentSpot8292 3 days ago +43
The USA: we’ve got an opening your perfect for!
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AddlePatedBadger 3 days ago +9
Allegedly even the Americans thought the Aussies went to far and didn't want anything to do with it
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Amphabian 3 days ago +44
Nah I call bullshit. We have plenty of our own guys who have done similar things and received pardons from the President. Further, the mindset of many guys in special operations is one that loves this kind of stuff and openly brag to each other about it. Source: former special operations stationed at Ft. Bragg
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BadAsBroccoli 3 days ago +30
Edward Gallagher for one, killing that 17 yo boy and posing with the corpse, among other things.
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Obrix1 3 days ago +7
Can’t fly home with a necklace of fingers if the brass don’t look the other way
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morenn_ 3 days ago +2
Losing your finger necklace because dudes keep smoking weed must have been a really frustrating experience.
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Direct_Witness1248 3 days ago +3
I think they're referring to some emails (iirc) that came out. Some US officials of some sort wanted distance from the events. It's long before Trump was on the scene, his deployment ended in 2012. But I agree with the rest of your point.
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sleeptightburner 3 days ago +10
Time to free [this guy.](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-69006714)
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FormalMango 3 days ago +3
Justice for David McBride.
3
Accomplished_Yam8679 3 days ago +19
Doesn't have a leg to stand on. One to drink from, sure, but not to stand on.
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RowRowRowsYourBoat 3 days ago
Badum-tss
0
Turbulent-Agent9634 3 days ago +8
What a crook bloke. He's a dog of a man and deserves what he gets
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SweetLoLa 3 days ago +9
I can’t help but look at this and take is a universal message to all soldiers/military officers currently on the wrong side of every war. *"No man is an island... any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."*
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DocileHag 3 days ago +4
Yes the timing of this is sublime and I can’t help but feel like it’s a very intentional way of Australia saying “we don’t accept war crimes” on a global stage. It’s a way of condemning US actions indirectly and sending a message to the Australian people that we still stand for the rule of law and justice, no matter the actions of our allies.
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Hayabusa_Blacksmith 3 days ago +6
doesnt he know you can only commit war crimes if you are a president of a powerful country?
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sothisisallthereis 3 days ago +3
What happened to the seals who just recently killed fishermen they were supposed to be drug runners in Venezuela?
3
Laz321 3 days ago +1
Wasn't there a "Whistleblower" who was actually sent to prison for outing this guys war crimes? David McBride right? Why doesn't he get any leeway here.
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Hypervisory 3 days ago -18
Russia would be interested in his résumé.
-18
No_Mercy_4_Potatoes 3 days ago +31
Eh.... The way things are going, he'd suit as a 4 star general in the US army better. Maybe even replace Hegseth, if Trump decided to sack.
31
[deleted] 3 days ago -20
[removed]
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AlbatrossNew3633 3 days ago +9
First three have definitely blood on their hands, but I'd be ok just to see the last one getting the karma payback he deserves
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Famous_Stelrons 3 days ago -4
Is he the "shuffle off this mortal coil you c***" guy cos that was a looooooong time ago the case was in the news.
-4
Araminal 3 days ago +11
That was a UK guy.
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