Gerry Binder - Vietnam veteran strongly opposed to war

Laura Tiernan reporting for WSWS, covering the Sydney anti-war protests,
23 March, 2003:

Others on the platform included Gerry Binder, a Vietnam Veteran and Greens supporter, who told the rally he was handing back his war medals to Prime Minister Howard in protest against Australia’s participation in the invasion of Iraq. Later he told the WSWS: “I totally disagree with our current engagement with Iraq. It’s American aggression and we shouldn’t be part of it. I also have come to the conclusion that the Vietnam War was wrong anyhow, so there’s two reasons for handing those medals back.

“I think they’re after oil. I think it’s a long-term strategic move they’re making. And they’re using us and they’re lying to us. I would like to say if I’m on tape, that my beef is not with the Australian troops, it’s not their fault. John Howard hijacked them. They’re just obeying orders. I wouldn’t like to see people turn on the troops the way they did when we came back from Vietnam. It’s not their fault.