Cutting Australian soldiers some slack
Scandal has struck the army again today – but this time it’s been caught on video. Footage depicting an Australian soldier holding a gun to the head of another soldier dressed in Arab robes has drawn criticism from defence chiefs who’ve flagged the possibility of the soldiers being sacked. Other videos posted on the popular YouTube webiste showed soldiers brandishing their weapons and quick-drawing handguns. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has played down the seriousness of the footage, saying soldiers should be allowed to let off steam while serving in hostile environments. Dr Jessica Wolfendale is a research fellow at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics at Melbourne University, specialising in military ethics. She says although soldiers are under a lot of pressure, they need to have healthy outlets for their emotions.