Right Rally Around Jim Molan
Former Major General Jim Molan in his first week as a Senator has been under attack by Labor, the Greens and the media after it became known on his Facebook page last year he shared two videos that purported to show Muslim violence in Europe from the British nationalist organisation Britain First.
When appearing ABC Radio National’s Breakfast program Molan stood by the post stating “I have no apologies, I have no regrets”. He denied the implication they meant he was a racist “I put my life on the line for Islamic countries, for people to come out now and say that this is racist, or is anti-Islamic, I find deeply offensive”. However he did say of Britain First that they were an “appalling organisation”.
Labor has attempted to wedge Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on what his view on the videos were in Question Time yesterday and today. But Turnbull was having none of it lambasting the Labor Party for their attack on Molan’s character and hence military service “The Leader of the Opposition wants to describe him as a racist. That is deplorable. It is disgusting. Jim Molan is a great Australian soldier. We are lucky to have him in the Senate. He doesn’t have a racist bone in his body.”
The Greens took their attack on Molan even further with Greens leader Richard Di Natale yesterday on Sky News accusing Molan of being responsible for war crimes when he the chief of operations for the US-led coalition forces in Iraq in 2005 and responsible for the Coalition’s assault on the Iraqi town of Fallujah. Di Natale claimed that under Molan’s leadership “coalition forces used hunger and deprivation as a weapon of war against the civilian population”.
Molan today hit back appearing with David Speers on Sky News categorically denying that his forces had used hunger and deprivation against civilians as it would violate the rules of war. He said that those who made the accusations including the United Nations had no people on the ground in Fallujah to verify that claim. He also confirmed he had deleted the Britain First videos from his Facebook account not because he regretted it but because he thought it was appropriate for him to clean up his social media now that he is a Senator. He also pointed out that his military record would refute any claims of racism as his roles have included liberating people of other races and those of the Muslim faith.
Despite Turnbull and Molan coming from different factions in the New South Wales Liberal Party the entire Liberal parliamentary team has been behind Molan during these attacks on his military record and character. No Minister or backbencher has bought into the Labor/Greens attack line that Molan endorsed fascist propaganda and have seen the story for the media beatup that it is.
The Unshackled also conducted its own poll yesterday asking its readers ‘Do You Support Jim Molan Sharing Britain First Videos?’ 97% of nearly 2000 respondents said yes and most comments have said good on him. It is clear from the response of the right side of politics that they have Molan’s back and are willing to defend him against the slurs and criticism that a person such as Molan attracts from the left. Molan is clearly a popular figure and has emerged from this non-scandal with his integrity intact.
