Down Under Comes Through
The past couple of days, the American press has been filled with reports about French and German hand-wringing over Iraq. We'll get to that in a moment, but first we'd like to tip our hat to a real ally. Australia has deployed a transport carrier to the Persian Gulf "in preparation for a possible war against Iraq," reports the Melbourne Age. Prime Minister John Howard made a speech to the troops:

I believe that it is right for the international community to try to disarm Iraq. I believe that if the international community balked at that task, if it walks away from it, if it gives up because it is too hard, Iraq will not oblige by giving up her weapons of mass destruction. She will be emboldened not only to retain them but to also expand them. And the example of that successful defiance will be copied by other countries and we will increasingly live in a world where a growing number of rogue states possess weapons that could do enormous damage not only to their neighbours but to the broader community.

Sad to say, but I think the recent Crocodile Hunter
movie has more insight on the US and the role of
the CIA than their own prime minister does. Try
to catch this subtly subversive flick and watch it
with your kids.

Peep the hilarious parody of president-select that
occurs in the film's climax.

Not since Calwell has Labor risked such a speech
By Tom Allard and Kelly Burke
January 24 2003

In an unprecedented act for an Australian opposition leader, Simon Crean yesterday stood before 350 troops heading for the Persian Gulf and told them bluntly: "I don't believe that you should be going."
.....
"I don't support the deployment of our troops in these
circumstances. I do support our troops and always will, and that distinction is fundamentally important," Mr Crean told the troops on the HMAS Kanimbla.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/01/23/1042911493882.html