Major podcast host and former Navy SEAL Shawn Ryan has weighed in on the decision by Australian authorities to arrest and charge Ben Roberts-Smith for alleged war crime murders.
Roberts-Smith, Australia’s most decorated living soldier, was arrested in April and charged with the murder of five detainees during his service in Afghanistan from 2009 to 2012.
The 47-year-old former Special Air Service (SAS) operator has consistently proclaimed his innocence, even trying to sue media outlet Nine Publishing for defamation over the series of articles that first brought the allegations to light.
Roberts-Smith failed in his attempt with the judge finding that the SAS veteran on the “balance of probabilities” did carry out the war crimes.
In his impending criminal trial, the allegations against Roberts-Smith will be tested on a higher criminal standard where the prosecution will need to prove “beyond a reasonable doubt” that he committed or abetted the crimes.
Ryan, who enlisted in the U.S. Navy at 18 and served in both Haiti and Baghdad, claims the Roberts-Smith case shows the “warrior class is disintegrating worldwide.”
“No one wants to wear a badge anymore. Why would you? Do your job, get labelled a criminal.”
Ryan hosts the Shawn Ryan Show, one of the most popular podcasts in the United States.
He pointed to the case of Daniel Penny, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who apprehended a homeless man, Jordan Neely, while riding the New York City Subway in 2023.
Neely had been threatening passengers, so Penny placed the man in a chokehold, which resulted in Neely’s death.
Neely had a history of offences against him including assault, and was arrested more than 40 times before the subway incident.
Penny claimed Neely had threatened a woman with a pram, and used the words, “I will kill,” as she shielded her baby.
Penny was charged with manslaughter, but was later found not guilty. Numerous passengers defended Penny’s actions, some saying they had feared for their lives during Neely’s outburst.
“Who protects the community after that? No one,” said Ryan.
“Now we’re watching military heroes across the world get prosecuted for doing exactly what their country trained and ordered them to do—find the enemy and destroy them,” he said.
Ben Roberts-Smith Vows to Fight Charges
Roberts-Smith received bail last week and returned to his Gold Coast home after being detained for over a week.“For the past 10 years, my family and I have been subject to a campaign to convince Australians that I have acted improperly in my service in Afghanistan,” he told reporters on April 19 in his first public statement since the arrest.
“As I have always maintained, I categorically deny all of these allegations. And while I would have preferred these charges not be brought, I will be taking this opportunity to finally clear my name.”
Roberts-Smith was arrested at Sydney Airport while travelling with his family.
“I understand this journey will be long. I understand this journey will be difficult, but I can promise everybody that I have never run from a fight in my life,” he said.
