April 16, 2004

STANDARDS MAINTAINED

Tessa Morris-Suzuki, professor at the research school of Pacific and Asian studies at the Australian National University, in today’s Melbourne Age:

When John Howard sent Australian troops to Iraq last year, without the approval of the UN and against the wishes of most Australians, he promised us that this would help make Australia and the world safe from terrorism.

No, he didn’t. Hasn’t The Age learned to check claims made by its stupid op-ed contributors? Does nobody at The Age remember last year’s Alison Broinowski quote scam, or the Janet McCalman debacle of 2002? Meanwhile, in The Age's semi-reliable non-opinion section:

The first person to be charged under Australia's tough new laws against training with terrorists appeared in a Sydney court yesterday.

Posted by Tim Blair at April 16, 2004 03:52 AM
Comments

Talking of terrorists: I have retracted an accusation of a certain person being a militant.

Posted by: Andjam at April 16, 2004 at 04:02 AM

What do you mean he didn't? Check out http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/03/20/1047749878074.html. Here is an extract:

Iraq has long supported international terrorism.
.....
He has sheltered and sponsored many terrorist groups.

International terrorism knows no borders. We have learnt that to our cost. Australia and Australians anywhere in the world are as much targets as any other western country and its people.

Therefore the possession of chemical, biological, or even worse still, nuclear weapons by a terrorist network would be a direct undeniable and lethal threat to Australia and its people.

That is the reason above all others why I passionately believe that action must be taken to disarm Iraq.

So Howard did promise that this would make the world (inc. Australia) safe (well maybe just safer) from terrorism.

Posted by: Fabian at April 16, 2004 at 12:06 PM

"he promised us that this would help make Australia and the world safe from terrorism"

"Daddy said the cat would get better but it didn't.."

Where in the above does Howard make *any* promises, Fabian?

Posted by: Brian at April 16, 2004 at 05:37 PM