Howard Overboard

There is palpable anger in the Australian press at the Government's refusal to acknowledge any link between the Madrid bombings and the Spanish government's support for Bush. By refusing to accept a very obvious reality, the Howard government is painting itself into an increasingly absurd corner. They have even forced the Federal Police Commisioner to issue a statement "clarifying" remarks he made on the issue (see below). The truth goes overboard once again, but this time is surely once too often.

Margot Kingston writes a very angry denunciation in the Herald:

"When was the last time the government forced a very, very senior public official - one we trusted - to sign a false statement to protect the government's lies?

Why, it was in the last week of the 2001 federal election campaign, when this government without honour humiliated the then chief of the navy, Admiral David Shackleton.

How sickening is John Howard's government allowed to get before we sack it?"