The Legal Limbo: A geo-political dance by Bishop-Brandis.

Everyone would have thought that the news that charges had been dropped against Jamie Williams would be a clear sign that the Government of Australia was reconsidering its stance on the issue of Australian Volunteers against Daesh. It seems that the Government has other ideas and is happy to keep the other Australians under investigation for volunteering with the YPG in Rojava and Peshmerga in (Basur) Iraq Kurdistan, in perpetual legal limbo. One has to wonder as to why that might be when Australian former Soldiers are currently involved in paid mercenary work for the Saudi led coalition against Houthi rebels in Yemen and other Australian former Special Force Operators are under contract training and advising Ukrainian regulars and paramilitaries fighting pro-Russian separatists in the Donbass region. Is it because those other causes are more in line with Australian foreign policy and any concessions towards political and economic autonomy and formal recognition in the Kurd region may upset Turkey? The volunteers remain political pawns. By keeping them in limbo they dissuade other Australian from travelling to join the fight against Daesh and therefore by proxy, Turkey. The Government also delays the inevitable decision that needs to be made if Australian foreign policy towards the Syrian-Iraq conflict is to be taken seriously, do we support the Kurds or do we bow to Erdogan who is quickly making an enemy of Russia and alienating his country from the West? Great real Abbot, drop the charges and exempt the YPG and Peshmerga.