Tony Abbott’s ‘misguided’ mission

The MH17 crash has pushed Tony Abbott to up the tough talk towards Vladimir Putin. Picture: AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky Source: Supplied

Something about the Ukraine air disaster sparked a bout of diplomatic excesses and indulgences in Prime Minister Tony Abbott, and there are no signs it is abating.

His threat of a physical confrontation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, although obviously figurative, was a new chapter in clumsy messaging.

You can't shirtfront him if he isn't wearing a shirt. Picture: AFP / ALEXEY DRUZHININ Source: News Corp Australia

But it hasn't been the only singular response from the Prime Minister to what undoubtedly was a great tragedy. The domestic political kudos he's received for management of the air disaster has encouraged him to override accepted diplomatic behaviour.

Like most Australians Mr Abbott was horrified and angry when in July Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was brought down over Ukraine soil.

It's believed a rocket hit the aircraft and took the lives of 298 people, including 38 Australian residents.

Mr Abbott had strong public support when he pledged to help the families of the dead Australians, but then he went further.

TROOPS TO UKRAINE

Tony Abbott wanted to send 1000 Australian soldiers to secure the MH17 wreckage site. The objective was to collect the remains of passengers and bring them home to their families.

It was a dangerous plan to inject Australian military forces into a foreign country and commit them to a zone already ripped by rebel fighting.

He was talked out of it by cabinet colleagues, including Foreign Minister Julie Bishop

POLICE TO UKRAINE

Mr Abbott sent Australian Federal Police to Ukraine to investigate the MH17 crash. Picture: Paul Toohey. Source: News Corp Australia

Instead, Australia deployed 50 Australian Federal Police who were given the hugely difficult task of retrieving critical wreckage and bodies from the site. They were sent into a battle zone and fighting prevented them working easily, and frequently stopped them getting to the area at all.

They survived with great courage. As one international observer warned, either side in the fighting could have deliberately or otherwise turned the Australian officers into "red mist".

ENVOYS TO KIEV

Tony Abbott has made establishing an embassy in Kiev a priority. Let's hope he doesn't make staff adopt the local hairstyles. Picture: AFP / ANATOLII BOIKO Source: AFP

Ukraine had such a small role in Australia's global interests that our diplomatic business with its government was conducted out of Warsaw, Poland.

Suddenly Mr Abbott announced there would be an Australian embassy in Kiev. The Department of Foreign Affairs was closing embassies to criticism of Australia's shrinking "diplomatic footprint". But Kiev was a priority.

PM TAKES OFF

Tony Abbott flew to the Netherlands to meet with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte after the MH17 tragedy. Picture: Ben Stevens / i-Images Source: News Corp Australia

The Prime Minister announced he was flying to Holland and Britain to thank his fellow heads of government involved in the MH17 tragedy.

This was an odd mission, possibly even to the Dutch and the British.

In early August Mr Abbott arrived in Rotterdam to meet Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

Then Mr Abbott flew to London where he spoke to Prime Minister David Cameron — by phone.

Mr Cameron was still on holiday in Portugal. Mr Abbott had flown halfway around the world for a telephone call.

IT'S RUSSIA'S FAULT

Photos from the Preliminary report into the MH17 crash show the fuselage skin containing numerous small holes and indentations. Source: Supplied

There is no evidence of Russian involvement in the MH17 disaster. It might be that if a rocket hit the aircraft it might have been fired by a Russian-backed rebel, but that the attack was an accident of mistaken identity.

Accusations President Putin is an MH17 murderer, as Mr Abbott has made, have no solid backing.

THE SHIRTFRONT SHAMBLES

Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn't look like he's ready to back down. Picture: AP / Alexei Druzhinin Source: AP

Back in late July Mr Abbott spoke to President Putin about a UN resolution on MH17, afterwards reporting the Russian had said "all the right things".

The UN resolution condemning the attack was passed unanimously by the UN Security Council, which includes Russia.

Let's face it: President Putin is one of the nastiest leaders the world has. It's not clear what he has done since those July talks to upset the Prime Minister, but it is difficult to argue Mr Abbott is now saying all the right things.

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