printable version PDF version

Conservative Jitters
by peptide Tuesday, Oct 23 2007, 1:52pm
international / social/political / commentary

The last thing any incumbent government wants to hear at election time is incriminating information relating to past failures, unpopular decisions and damaging indiscretions – ‘let’s stay focused on the NOW,’ is the new slogan of the conservatives. Little wonder, as the current PM is responsible for dragging the nation into an illegal war, abandoning citizens to foreign powers, surrendering drug mules to barbaric regimes to face the death penalty, deporting Australian citizens who didn’t have European round eyes and white skin, instigating race riots, allowing corporations to dictate policy, fast tracking approval for the Pluto and Gorgon gas projects and BHP evading water costs that local farmers face daily! We could add surrendering the nation to the yanks and its wealth to the Transnationals while allowing necessary services – education, health/dental, infrastructures, road/rail, housing and energy to fall into disrepair or neglect.

Virginia Trioli

We haven’t heard much from the opposition regarding the conservative government’s most heinous past actions and policy failures, in fact, during a recent televised debate the opposition leader almost exonerated the Prime Minister for lying the nation into the Iraq holocaust, he stated that both were ‘under the impression’ that Saddam possessed WMD. The “impression” was no doubt obtained from Donald Rumsfeld’s infamous declaration that “we know Saddam has weapons of mass destruction because he just has!” Brilliant!

I would remind the two miserable lying conservatives vying for the position of PM that UN and other INDEPENDENT weapons inspectors, one of whom was Australian, all stated emphatically that Iraq was NOT in possession of any WMD prior to the invasion. The rest is history, accurate advice was disregarded in favour of blatant propaganda, a pre-emptive military strike was launched by Howard and other members of a coalition of willing criminals -- ALL of whom are now responsible for the deaths of at least 700,000 civilians (John Hopkins figures). However, the real toll is estimated to exceed one million souls!

It seems that some journos have emerged from their collective coma and finally realised democracy is dependent on the free flow of accurate information. ABC journo, Virginia Trioli, seemed to exasperate Foreign Affairs Minister, Downer during an interview today relating to US claims of political interference in the David Hicks case – this case rates as one of the most sordid political cases in Oz history, it promises to haunt the nation until justice is done!

During the interview Downer’s tone steadily increased to a high-pitched shrill as he unsuccessfully attempted to justify his government's treatment of Hicks; finally he 'lost it' and accused Trioli of “campaigning” for Hicks and “blackening” his Party’s name – if you are able to locate the full unedited interview it is hilarious and clearly reveals the desperation of the Australian conservative government. But to be fair, Downer did excuse himself for his hysterical outburst and behaving like a big girl, which is exactly what he is!

A job well done, Virginia! We only hope that Tony ‘Howard mouthpiece’ Jones and Leigh ‘gusset-face’ Sales, learn a trick or two.

Trioli was acting on information recently made public by US prosecutors who claim that political interference in the Hicks case could be traced to VP Cheney himself. ‘Coincidentally’ Cheney's intervention occurred directly after his Australian visit!

John ‘aluminium tubing’ Howard denied any interference or impropriety, however, he did stress that it would be helpful for his re-election prospects if the Hicks case was ‘resolved’ ASAP – and so it was!

It seems that the defence, prosecution and Hicks were all deprived due process. At no stage did the Hicks case satisfy international, civil or existing US military law – a legal farce from start to ongoing 'end!'

Alexander Downer -- "exasperated"