Media Release: The Road to War
Latest film by David Bradbury
Premiere to be held in Melbourne 6.30pm, March 22 at the Cinema Nova, Carlton.
Online tickets can be purchased here.
A Q&A will follow the screening. Special guests (some featured in the documentary) to join David Bradbury:
John Lander, former deputy ambassador to China, former ambassador to Iran;
Dr Richard Tanter, former President Australian board of the International Campaign for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017; Simone Pavavakis: environmental activist, novelist.
(Hobart screening on March 23 at the State Cinema with special guest Bob Brown. Adelaide screening on March 29 at the Capri Theatre. Further screenings in other cities and regional centres TBA).
Further information or interviews with David Bradbury: david@frontlinefilms.com.au
As international tensions rise to a new level, with the Ukraine war passing its first anniversary and the Albanese Government set to announce its commitment of hundreds of billions of dollars to new weaponry, nuclear propelled subs, Stealth bombers etc, The Road to War brings into sharp focus why it is not in Australia’s best interests to be dragged into an American-led war with China.
The Road to War is directed by one of Australia’s most respected political documentary filmmakers, David Bradbury. Bradbury has more than four decades of journalistic and filmmaking experience behind him having covered many of the world’s trouble spots since the end of the Vietnam war – SE Asia, Iraq, East Timor, revolutions and civil war in Central and South America, India, China, Nepal and West Papua.
“I was driven to make this film because of the urgency of the situation. I fear we will be sucked into a nuclear war with China and/or Russia from which we will never recover, were some of us to survive the first salvo of nuclear warheads,” says the twice Oscar-nominated filmmaker.
“We must put a hard brake on Australia joining in the current arms race as the international situation deteriorates. We owe it to our children and future generations of Australians who already face the gravest existential danger of their young lives from Climate Change,” says Bradbury.
There is general concern among the defence analysts Bradbury interviews in the film that Australia is being set up to be the US proxy in its coming war with China. And that neither the Labor nor LNP governments have learnt anything from being dragged into America’s wars of folly since World War II – Korea, Vietnam, two disastrous wars in Iraq and America’s failed 20-year war in Afghanistan which ripped that country apart, only to see the Taliban warlords return the country and its female population to feudal times.
“Basing US B52 and Stealth bombers in Australia is all part of preparing Australia to be the protagonist on behalf of the United States in a war against China. If the US can’t get Taiwan to be the proxy or its patsy, it will be Australia,” says former Australian ambassador to China and Iran, John Lander.
Military analyst, Dr Richard Tanter, fears the US military’s spy base at Pine Gap near Alice Springs, will be the first target of any direct confrontation between the US and Russia or China.
“The US military base at Pine Gap is critical to the US military’s global strategy, especially nuclear missile threats in the region. The generals in Moscow and Beijing would have it as a top priority on their nuclear Hit List,” says Dr Tanter whose 40 years of ground-breaking research on Pine Gap with colleague, Dr Des Ball, has provided us with the clearest insight to the unique role Pine Gap plays for the US. Everything from programming US drone attacks to detecting the first critical seconds of nuclear ICBM’s lifting off from their deep underground silos in China or Russia, to directing crippling nuclear retaliation on its enemy.
“Should Russia or China want to send a signal to Washington that it means business and ‘don’t push us any further’, a one-off nuclear strike on Pine Gap would do that very effectively, without triggering retaliation from the US since it doesn’t take out a US mainland installation or city,” says Dr Tanter.
“It’s horrible to talk about part of Australia in these terms but one has to be a realist with what comes to us by aligning ourselves with the US,” Tanter says.
“Studies show in the event of even a very limited nuclear exchange between any of the nuclear powers, up to two billion people would starve to death from nuclear winter,” says Dr Sue Wareham of the Medical Association for the Prevention of War.
“The Australian Government, Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, have a serious responsibility to look after all Australians. Not just those living in cities. Were Pine Gap to be hit with even one nuclear missile, Health Minister Mark Butler would be hard pressed to find any volunteer nurses and doctors willing to risk their lives to help survivors in Alice Springs, Darwin and surrounding communities from even one nuclear missile hitting this critical US target,” says Dr Wareham.
Clip from The Road to War:
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I urge everyone to see this doco from the legendary filmmaker, David Bradbury. Having seen it in draft form, I think it will be his crowning achievement. I was honoured to be asked to do assist with media. The timing is spot on with Albanese arriving in San Diego for a trilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden and UK prime minister Rishi Sunak to announce with Defence Minister Richard Marles (both get a guernsey in the film) their intention to buy several hundred billion dollars worth of nuclear propelled subs plus likely purchase of B21 bombers (Stealth bombers) which can be nuclear armed down the track.
Bradbury has interviewed some heavy hitters in the film with many decades of experience behind them in military strategy and defence.
Dr Richard Tanter has done ground-breaking research on Pine Gap and why it would be a prime first strike nuclear target should war break out between China and Australia.
Hugh White who worked in the Office of National Intelligence for Malcolm Fraser, ‘Bomber’ Beazely, other PMs Hawke, Keating and Howard — who says America would ultimately lose a war with China because they could never occupy mainland China.
Brian Toohey was founding editor of the ground breaking National Times back in the 80’s and chief Defence correspondent for Fairfax in DC for years.
John Lander, former deputy ambassador to China and ambassador to Iran. He believes we are being set up to be “the Patsy” for the US, as the Ukraine has proved to be right now in America’s determination to cripple Russia/old Soviet Union once and for all.
Michelle Fahy has been investigating the links between the arms industry and the Australian government for years.
Sounds like my kinda film.
” … preparing Australia to be the protagonist on behalf of the United States in a war against China. If the US can’t get Taiwan to be the proxy or its patsy, it will be Australia,”
Why can’t the dickheads in Canberra see this? The USAnian military industriial complex needs another war to fuel its profits, but they can’t have it there. We’re conveniently distant for them to be safe and happy while we get wiped out.
A pox on all their houses.
@ leefe: My thoughts exactly. Thank you for expressing them so succinctly.
Labor has met their enemy and the enemy is Albanese Labor.
Albanese Labor’s AUKUS deal has made a rod for the back of Labor for the L/NP to crucify Labor with that will result in a 1 term Labor government.
Labor under Whitlam, Hawke, Evans, Carr and Keating was the party of peace and prosperity. Now Labor, like the L/NP, are the party of war and adversity.
From now, reason, honesty, accurate observation, the ALP, a leftist or progressive outlook, media decency and believability, all this is in decline and may be gonme. BUT, self infatuation, loudmouthery, denouncing, right wing ratbaggery, the Duttonjoyce POX, the swollen erections of Murdochery, Costelloisms, even Stokesian stupidity will thrive, Profits up? Ask the weapons people, the banks people, the tech, manipulators, Gerry and Solly, but NOT the people searching for ways and means for food, bills, a roof. If you get an abcess or piles, call it a Bolt. If you get a long term steady decline call it a rupert. Many a mongrel dog will now be happily named Albo.
Came across an opinion on another site today, to the effect that we are buying the subs not out of fear of China, but out of fear of the USA.
Makes sense to me.
THE ROAD TO WAR – BY INDEPENDENT DOCUMENTARY WARRIOR DAVID BRADBURY. Millions of we peoples of the world have just watched cinema’s glittering annual gala, the Oscars, a night of more stars than sequins and movie makers, where dreams come true and are broken in equal measure. We will have seen the compelling shorts of the remake of All Quiet on the Western Front and shuddered at the stark reality that it never was quiet on the Western front. Not then. Not now. Wars never really end. Ask the mothers of grossly deformed babies still being born in the wake of the ‘Asian War’ and the relentless acid rain of Agent Orange, indiscriminately dumped upon civilians – cropdousing poisons upon humans and animals without shame. Such deformities of course, visited Australia as well, with the return of veterans. There’s so much more. We live in a world that has weaponised the notion of Peace. We have been indoctrinated by war makers and warmongers into thinking that whoever possesses the more destructive and powerful weapons will win the day. Such facile nonsense and propaganda. This brings me to David Bradbury, an independent award-winning documentary maker and his latest doco, The Road to War. Like my colleague Sandi Keane, I urge you to see this anti-war film and to listen to those he has interviewed. Bradbury’s CV reflects his inclination to tackle ‘difficult’ subjects and topics and it is refreshing to see his truth seeking cinematic missiles are aimed closer to home,,, in our own backyard.
Tess, Americans have the same attitude: We need guns to stop us from shooting each other.
Yes, it’s a crazy notion.
Oh yes, the olde chestnut, “We need the materiel not only for security, but to wrest the economy from collapse.” Ha ha ha haaar, a story as old as when wandering cavemen learned more than grunts. And what caused the economic collapse? The waste by and of war by cavemen. The clubs – many aspirants – but the big clubs; Britain, America, Russia and China – all collapsing under the weight of stupidity.
Roswell, I’m reminded of George Carlin’s riff on God being all-powerful, all-perfect, all-knowing and all-wise, but somehow, just can’t handle money. He always needs more. Swap out [God] and insert [the USA], swap out [money] and insert either or both [guns & death], and what you get is something like this, 2023’s track record for the first three months, 8,500 dead, 6,300 injured, 112 mass shootings, 11 mass murders.
440 of those deaths & injuries at the hands of the police. It’s also estimated that annually police shoot up to 10,000 dogs, so perhaps around 2,500 so far this year.
Plus a zebra, shot by a cop after its owner was attacked when he approached it while it was horny around a mare in season. “I plugged him between the eyes with my shotgun” said the cop, no doubt a story he’ll retell with satisfaction many times.
I’m wondering if your last line was meant to read… “Yes, it’s a crazy nation“?
Canguro, I meant notion, but nation also fits.
A crazy nation with crazy notions.
Oh how that country has fallen apart since I left it.
Roswell:
I could suggest that maybe it was your departure that caused the great decline, and that perhaps you should go back to see if that helps correct the situation … but I wouldn’t wish the USA on my worst enemy, much less yourself.
leefe, I’m in no hurry to go back and I haven’t been back for years. I was young when we came here and I haven’t kept in touch with anybody.
Europe would be my preferred destination should I travel overseas again.
G’day Roswell !!! Beaut to hear from you. I do struggle with it all some days, I must admit.
Will you get the chance to see Bradbury’s doco ? Go on one of the marches ?
Hi Tess.
Not much of a chance. I’m five hours from the nearest capital city.
Dear Roswell, that’s another reason why I love the internet and comments. It is a way to exchange views and participate in
discussion and life experience – as well as having your two bob’s worth ! The tyranny of distance will not defeat us. Sometimes it can even bring us closer.
tess,
With inflation and increased costs everywhere it’s now ten dollars worth.
Oh yes, my final view on History of the World, Part 2: It’s a great big steaming pile of Peter Dutton.
GL, very decent of you to post your frank review… sitting through four hours of a great steaming pile of merde can’t be easy, but then, the life of an art critic isn’t always a soirée with scones and jam & cream, is it? Well done! I won’t be watching it.
IMDB rated it at 5.9/10, and Wiki gave it an average rating of 6.3/10… neither a particularly resounding endorsement.