Bush Thanks Australia for Support in Iraq

Yahoo News ^ | 10/22/03 | Terence Hunt - AP

[NormsRevenge]

CANBERRA, Australia - As thousands of anti-war demonstrators protested outside Parliament, President Bush (news - web sites) thanked Australia on Thursday for sending troops to Iraq (news - web sites) and Afghanistan (news - web sites) to stand and fight alongside the United States "instead of wishing and waiting while tragedy drew closer."

Bush personally saluted Prime Minister John Howard as "a leader of exceptional courage" for not buckling earlier this year to his nation's largest peace marches since the Vietnam War. Instead, Howard sent 2,000 troops to Iraq.

Forty-one opposition lawmakers signed a letter criticizing Bush's war decision, saying the war was conducted on the basis of a clear and present danger in Iraq that did not exist. But Bush shot back in his speech that "Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s regime is gone and no one should mourn its passing."

Outside Parliament, thousands of demonstrators banged drums and shouted at the president from security lines 100 yards away from where Bush entered. Other protesters jostled with security officials outside the U.S. embassy compound where Bush stayed overnight.

Inside Parliament, two Green Party senators shouted war protests at Bush during his speech and were ordered removed, but refused to go. One of them, maverick Sen. Bob Brown, interrupted Bush to say "we are not a sheriff" — a reference to Bush's recent description of Howard. Bush smiled during the interruptions and said, "I love free speech."

Bush came here, his last stop on a six-country trip, from Indonesia where he tried to convince skeptical Islamic leaders Wednesday that America is not biased against Muslim countries. He praised the anti-terror work of Indonesia's president in an appearance near the site of an al-Qaida-sponsored bombing that killed more than 200.

Bush praised President Megawati Sikarnoputri, an ally against terrorism, and tried to dispel the conviction of many Muslims that the war on terror is, in fact, a war against Islam. He presented his case in a meeting with moderate religious leaders.

"I felt he was a quite warm person," said Azyumardi Azra, a Muslim scholar at the National Islamic University in Jakarta. "He responded and he listened."

Like Bush, Megawati faces an election next year, and she tried to appear close to Bush while saying that her citizens are suspicious of the United States. "We do not always share common perspective," Megawati said.

En route to Australia, Bush told reporters on Air Force One that he told the religious leaders in Bali that he disagreed with those who say America is anti-Islamic, and too pro-Israel. "They said the United States' policy is tilted toward Israel, and I said our policy is tilted toward peace," Bush said.

Australia was the last stop on a grueling six-country trip that won international support for Bush's initiative to help solve the North Korean nuclear crisis.

"Kim Jong Il is used to being able to deal bilaterally with the United States, but the change of policy now is, is that he must deal with other nations, most notably China," Bush said on Air Force One. "Now he's got his big neighbor to the right on his border, he's got a neighbor to the south, he's got Japan, he's got another neighbor, Russia, all saying the same thing."

Introducing Bush to the Australian Parliament, Howard acknowledged the fierce debate over the war. "We had a divided view in this nation," he said, adding that "we believe the right decision was made."

Before speaking to Parliament, Bush met with Howard and said the United States hopes to complete a free-trade agreement with Australia by December. "It's good for America. It's good for American workers. It's good for Australia," Bush said.

In his speech, Bush vigorously defended using force in Afghanistan and Iraq, saying that terrorists had been trying to gain chemical, biological or nuclear weapons.

"America, Australia and other nations acted in Iraq to remove a grave and gathering danger, instead of wishing and waiting while tragedy drew closer," the president said.

While no weapons of mass destruction have been found, Bush said the United States has discovered secret biological laboratories in Iraq, design work on prohibited long range missiles and a campaign to hide an illegal weapons program.

"Who can possibly think that the world would be better off with Saddam Hussein still in power?" Bush said, citing evidence of mass killings, torture and rape.

The president cautioned the world still faces grave threats from terrorists.

"With decisive victories behind us, we still have decisive days ahead," the president said. "We cannot let up in our offensive against terror, even a bit. And we must continue to building stability and peace in the Middle East and Asia as the alternatives to hatred and fear."

Opposition leader Simon Crean said that "on occasions friends do disagree as we did on this side with you on the war in Iraq." But he said that such differences "can enrich rather than diminish, they can strengthen rather than weaken the partnership. Our commitment to the alliance remains unshakable as does our commitment to the war on terror."

Bush's stop in Bali had special significance in Australia. Many of the 202 tourists killed in terrorist bombings a year ago were Australian tourists.

"No people are immune from the sudden violence that can come to an office building or an airplane or a nightclub or a city bus," Bush said. "Your nation and mine have known the shock, and felt the sorrow, and laid the dead to rest. And we refuse to live our lives at the mercy of murders."

[NormsRevenge]

While addressing Australia's Parliament, U.S. President George Bush responds with open arms to a member's vocal protests, saying he loves free speech, in Canberra, Australia, Thursday, Oct. 23, 2003. Bush thanked Australia for its commitment to the Iraq (news - web sites) war. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

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There's one in every crowd, these days.

[NormsRevenge]

U.S. President George W. Bush (news - web sites) waves as he is welcomed to Australia's Parliament House by Prime Minister John Howard, left, as his wife Laura, center, looks on in Canberra, Thursday, Oct. 23, 2003. President Bush addressed the Australian Parliament to thank Australia for its commitment to the Iraq (news - web sites) war. (AP Photo/Pat Scarla/POOL)

[poet]

How many BILLIONS did he give them?

[cksharks]

About 55 billion does that suit you?

[droberts]

Thanks Australia? Should thank the Prime Minister, the bulk of the Australian population was against it if I remember correctly.

[poet]

"About 55 billion does that suit you?"

Oops, did I strike a nerve and dare to criticize President Bush's Billion$ giveaways of out tax money to foreign countries? Yeah, I'm out of line. Right!

[armed_in_sydney]

The U.S doesnt give Australia a cent.We have a 7 billion dollar budget surplus...we're not Indonesia you know.

[Spruce]

The Aussies are our best allies.

[July 4th]

As expected, there are just a few seconds of interruption in a very nice speech, and it gets several lines of press copy.

[July 4th]

Thank you for your nation's support!

[Defender2]

I'll second the motion!!!!:-) Thank You, Australia!!!!:-)

[DrDeb]

I too THANK YOU for your country's support -- ALL freedom-loving countries must work together to RELENTLESSLY combat the scourge of terrorism! Your Prime Minister understands this as does our President!!!

[poet]

Ok, I was just asking.

[cksharks]

Didnt strike a nerve with me, I dont give a flying f--- how stupid you sound.

[McGavin999]

The Aussies have been one of our most reliable partners. Their warriors are fierce and, as a people, they are as independent as we are. They make GREAT friends.

[poet]

Very classy language. Proves I hit a nerve. Poor thing. I didn't mean to make you cry. I just asked a question because Bush has been given Billions to the countries that backed us in his "war" on terrorism, you know the one I mean, where we keep open borders, give drivers licenses to illegals and amnesty to the same illegals because they have avoided being caught in addition, tell the big lie that most Muslims are peace loving, even though not one of those creeps have condemned the murders of innocent men, women and children. It's all about votes, don't you know?

[slym]

It's all about liberation and cross-cultural understanding, doncha see?

CBS REPORTS:

Angry clash over dog, woman's bag, holy book points up U.S.-Iraqi gap
Wednesday October 22, 2003
By SAMEER N. YACOUB
Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) American troops fired into the air outside the Oil Ministry to disperse protesters whose complaint focused on a dog, a female employee's handbag, a holy book and the cultural chasm that divides the U.S. occupation from ordinary Iraqis.

At one point, fists and rifle butts flew between U.S. soldiers and ministry employees infuriated over what happened to the employee, but no serious injuries were immediately reported.

The confrontation began when 28-year-old Amal Karim showed up for work Tuesday morning and faced a routine search at the ministry entrance by U.S. soldiers, who have tightly guarded the building since the end of the U.S.-Iraq war last April.

When the Americans told her to submit her bag to a sniff-search by a dog, she refused, saying it held a copy of the Quran, Iraqi witnesses later reported.

Devout Iraqis often carry Islam's holy book with them, and Muslims consider dogs to be dirty, disease-spreading animals.

``When she refused, the American soldiers took the Quran out of her bag and threw it to the ground,'' said one woman, Zaineb Rahim. ``Then, the American soldiers handcuffed Amal.''

The U.S. military had no reaction to Tuesday's incident specifically. But spokesmen acknowledged that ignorance and misunderstandings still lead to such incidents, despite the efforts of commanders to educate their troops to the cultural differences and sensitivities of this Arab Muslim nation.

After the woman was handcuffed, soldiers and Iraqis began pushing and punching. Americans struck out with rifle butts, and soon about 100 Iraqis had gathered in angry protest outside the huge, modern building on Baghdad's northern edge, leading the Americans to fire shots in the air, the witnesses said.

As the protesters hoisted an Iraqi flag, officers of the tiny, newly formed Iraqi army appeared, trying to ease tensions.

Two helicopters circled the scene, where about 25 U.S. soldiers, with two Humvees and one armored vehicle, were on the routine post.

``We don't want the Americans to search us,'' said employee Muhaid al-Hayani. ``We want the Iraqi police to do the job. We don't want any Americans in the building of our ministry. We want them to leave.''

The woman was eventually released and was summoned to the oil minister's office, colleagues reported.

In an example of how the military is trying to avoid cultural misunderstandings, U.S. Command spokesman Lt. Col. George Krivo said Monday that units were being advised of the traditions of the fasting month of Ramadan, when the sight of U.S. troops eating in public or drinking would be offensive to Muslims.

Ramadan is expected to begin this weekend.

[Sonny M]

Thanks Australia? Should thank the Prime Minister, the bulk of the Australian population was against it if I remember correctly.

Your memory is incorrect. Australia was one of only 3 nations in the world where polls showed support for the iraqi war. The only other 2 countries whose populations had a majority support for the war, were Israel, and the United States.

[droberts]

Could you tell me which polls these were as I must have been getting my impressions from the wrong source?

[Sonny M]

Could you tell me which polls these were as I must have been getting my impressions from the wrong source?

New York Times, you'll have to check the archives, Basically, local news organizations, in different countries polled, only 3 country's (according to the NY Times research) had local news outlets saying that they had majority support. The US polls were out there every single day, the ones done in Israel pretty were noted. Australia also had support, every other country, from what I have read had populations that were against the war, even if there government supported it.