I HAVE followed the situation around Ben Roberts-Smith, pictured, in the media since it came to light ('A murderer and a war criminal', Newcastle Herald 2/6). While I can understand the evidence against him is very confronting, I do not feel it is right that he and other soldiers should be vilified for what took place in Afghanistan.
The person who in my opinion should be held accountable for putting our men and women in that war has not been mentioned at all. I speak of former prime minister John Howard. He was in New York during September 11, 2001. As a result of that attack, President Bush requested Australia take part in a war to punish the attackers of Iraq and Afghanistan, and we obliged.
