The Greens say sending military support to Gulf countries would only serve Donald Trump’s interests in the growing Iran war, as international law experts warn assistance would mean Australia was legally part of the conflict.
Cabinet’s national security committee met on Monday to consider requests for Australia to provide help to countries feeling the brunt of Tehran’s missile attack, sparked by bombings ordered by the US president and Israel.
An announcement about possible support measures from the Australian defence force was expected within days.
But while the Coalition has said any requests should be “duly considered”, the international law expert Donald Rothwell told Guardian Australia that assisting a Gulf state in its self-defence against Iran meant Australia would legally become part an “international armed conflict”.
“That applies irrespective of a distinction Australia may make between engaging in ‘offensive conduct’ and ‘defensive conduct’,” the Australian National University professor said.
“Contrast this with Ukraine where Australia provided military aid such as Bushmasters and Abrams tanks to Ukraine but never committed military personnel and so is not a party to the conflict.”
The Greens’ defence spokesperson, David Shoebridge, said Labor was “signing us up to another US forever war by deception and stealth”.
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“We can protect Australians in the region without sending our military into this escalating conflict; multiple other countries are doing just this,” he said.
“There is no rational Australian interest in sending troops to the Gulf, which is not an ally and has no strategic role in our defence.
“The only national interest served by deploying Australian troops to the Gulf is America’s, nothing could be plainer, regardless of the smoke and mirrors from Labor.”
Labor has also been criticised for not doing enough, with the former prime minister Tony Abbott accusing the government of being weak on the war, and not having enough “gumption” to offer the US president the assistance of a decent ally.
“The current attempt to destroy forever the Iranian theocracy’s nuclear cravings will make the world safer, fairer and better – yet the shameful, humiliating reality is that Australia is doing nothing practical to bring it about.”
The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, said late on Sunday that families of Australian officials have been told to leave the United Arab Emirates due to the growing conflict.
About 1,800 Australians have flown back from the UAE, and the department of foreign affairs is warning Australians not to travel there.
Campaign group Australians for War Powers Reform said any decision to go to war should be debated by parliament, before troops are committed.
Its spokesperson Peter Murphy said seeking to draw distinctions between offensive and defensive actions was “hair-splitting”.
“It makes us party to the conflict. Whatever way the foreign minister defines the use of Australian military forces in this situation: we’re in the situation, we are involved in this conflict.
“Unfortunately, it’s a mission creep situation. I can’t second-guess the foreign minister or anyone else in government, but I think that they’re incredibly reluctant to go there. However, again, the US alliance and Aukus itself is a force or a pressure for Australia to agree.”
Three Australian submariners were onboard the US nuclear submarine which fired upon and sank an Iranian frigate, the Dena, off the coast of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean last week, killing at least 87 people.
Two US P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance planes arrived at Perth’s RAAF Base Pearce last Monday, having flown from the joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, according to defence sources.
The two aircraft spent a little over one day in Australia before flying out again. Neither the Australian nor US militaries have disclosed the purpose of the stopover in Australia, or what role the planes have had in the ongoing conflict. The P-8As are primarily used for reconnaissance missions but can carry and launch torpedoes.
The shadow foreign affairs minister, Ted O’Brien, said the opposition would support the provision of military assistance if it was in the national interest, but said if the country does assist with defensive efforts it would “of course” be seen as participation in the conflict.
“We support what the United States and Israel is doing, and therefore, if support is requested, as it has been, it should be duly considered,” he said.
The Coalition has asked for a briefing on the plans.
