"I was misled": Howard invokes the Bush Doctrine of Non-Accountability

Australian Prime Minister John Howard says he did not mislead the public about when Australian officials became aware of allegations about the serious abuse of Iraqi prisoners. But he says he was misled. And then he told us. So we were misled. By him. But he didn't mislead us? And Iraqis are getting "Sovereignty" at the end of this month?

Howard said officials only learned of the abuse when the Abu Ghraib photos were published in April 2004, but the Defence Department has revealed that its officials first learnt of the allegations last October 2003.

"Last Friday, the department said that none of the 300 soldiers and civilians who may have had contact with prisoners knew about claims of serious mistreatment until the issue became public in April. But defence secretary Ric Smith has today told a Senate committee that he was wrong."

It has also emerged that at least one other Australian military legal officer visited the notorious Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq on numerous occasions.

Howard says he has been misled - just as he was on Children Overboard, remember, for which no one was ever punished - but he still claims there is no need for Major George O'Kane, the Defence Dept official at the heart of the scandal, to appear before a Senate inquiry.

"He will give his advice to his superiors and the questions will be answered by the minister, the chief of the Defence Force and by the secretary of the department," Mr Howard said.

Great. He is reporting to the same superiors and the same minister who denied he had even been to Abu Ghraib. That's accountability for you. Look, Iraqis - here's the democracy we are fighting to bring you! Saddam must be laughing.