No dent in case for war

The Australian ^ | September 17 2003

[knighthawk]

Revelations that the peak British intelligence committee warned of risks in disarming Saddam Hussein have generated much ado about very little. And Labor is on a hiding to nothing by reprising the case against the war to disarm Iraq - especially when the evidence for the argument that the Government put Australia at risk is so thin.

In February, the British committee advised an invasion increased the risk of weapons of mass destruction from Iraq's arsenal falling into the hands of terrorists. The committee was doing its job, advising its ministerial masters of all the possible consequences that could flow from a decision for war. The fact their warnings did not sway the British Government does not mean Prime Minister Tony Blair and his colleagues were derelict - they considered this, along with the committee's other advice, and made the decision to attack Iraq on the basis of all the evidence before them, evidence which was overwhelmingly in favour of the case for war. As a British parliamentary inquiry into the intelligence provided to the Blair Government put it last week, "there was convincing intelligence that Iraq had active, chemical, biological and nuclear programs". Which is far more positive than the admission by the BBC's director-general, Greg Dyke, that his subordinates considered the story involving now deceased weapons scientist David Kelly, which alleged the Government had sexed-up the case for war, was "marred by flawed reporting".

In Australia, John Howard's Government did exactly the same thing Mr Blair did. But this is not good enough for Labor leader Simon Crean, who has attacked Mr Howard for ignoring the specific British advice on an increase in terror after an invasion of Iraq and endangering Australia by joining the campaign. But the overwhelming evidence available to the allied governments in the lead-up to the war was for Hussein to be removed, and the allies did the right thing. The world - especially Iraq - is a safer place with him gone. Hussein built and used chemical weapons, and, while no special friend to Islamic terrorists, he would ally with anybody who could help protect his power. And in joining the US in the prosecution of a principled war, Australia demonstrated that we support our allies in doing right.

Labor has little to gain in putting the war back on the domestic political agenda. A quick campaign means Iraq is off the electorate's list of concerns. Through the winter, Mr Crean has focused on domestic issues - health and education, and on the Prime Minister's credibility in the ethanol affair. It is hard to see the sense in switching the attack to national security, where Mr Howard is particularly strong. But with yesterday's Newspoll in The Australian showing only 16 per cent of voters, a record low, nominating Mr Crean as preferred prime minister, it appears that desperate times dictate desperate judgments.

[knighthawk]

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