A Crisis Of Government

We are not suffering from a crisis of intelligence, we are suffering a crisis of government. Lest we forget, millions around the world protested before the war that the intelligence was being manipulated and the invasion was not justified. Howard, Bush and Blair have now wasted months of time and millions of dollars on enquiries that were always too narrowly focussed to allocate blame.

The fact is that Australia and Britain would never have gone to war if the Bush administration had not heavily pressured our governments (and others) to do so. Bush's neo-conservative cabal was pressuring US intelligence to find links between Saddam and 9/11 within hours of the attacks. They even set up a secretive Office of Special Plans to cherry-pick intelligence to justify the invasion. For over a decade, these people have been calling for increased US military intervention around the globe, with the ultimate aim of an unchallengeable US Empire. That, in the final analysis, is why Australia went to war: because Howard deemed our allegiance to the rogue US White House more important than our commitments to the UN, to the truth or to human decency.

Long-established international treaties and alliances now lie in tatters, militant Islamic fundamentalism is on the rise around the world, over 15,000 Iraqis are dead with many more injured or made homeless. Australia's proud reputation has been dragged through the mud.

Refusing to hold anyone else accountable, John Howard says if Australians are looking for someone to blame, we can blame him. Well, Mister Howard, I am looking for someone to blame.

Apologise now and resign.