Posted on 09/05/2005 1:27:41 AM PDT by naturalman1975
SENDING Australian troops into hurricane-devastated New Orleans without the permission of US authorities could have led to further chaos and possibly bloodshed, Prime Minister John Howard said today.
Mr Howard has angrily rejected claims Australia should have sent officials into the disaster area – ignoring directives from the US.
He said when a disaster of such magnitude occured, the only way it could be safely, fairly and efficiently was to leave it to the domestic authority to manage.
"The idea that you could have the military personnel of a range of foreign countries operating independently within the United States to rescue their own foreign nationals, is a recipe for chaos and potentially for bloodshed," Mr Howard told Parliament.
Opposition Leader Kim Beazley said earlier today Australian troops on postings in the United States could have been sent to the disaster zone where up to 20 Australians remained unaccounted for.
Mr Beazley suggested the Australian representatives could have talked their way through as television news crews had done.
Mr Howard apologised to the families of Australian victims caught up in the hurricane who felt neglected by the Government, but said he did not believe Australia was in the wrong.
"The reality is, for anybody to suggest that the military forces of this country, as guests in another country, could operate in some independent way inside that country to rescue our nationals, without accepting of course the military forces ... of a whole range of other countries that also have personnel in the United States," he said.
Mr Howard said Mr Beazley was directly contradicting previous comments made by Labor's foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd.
Only yesterday, Mr Rudd publicly said he was aware that the Australian Government's hands were tied by US authorities, he said.
Earlier, Mr Howard said authorities remained concerned for the safety of two Australians who had not been heard from since the hurricane struck.
The Prime Minister suspended parliamentary proceedings to extend his sympathy to the people of the US.
"I have already personally conveyed to President Bush my concern and sympathy and that I know of all Australians for these events," Mr Howard said.
Australian troops being dispatched into New Orleans without the permission of the US government?
Oh, that'd really have been a good idea. Australian citizens would really benefit from Australia committing an act of war against the United States.
Yeah, imagine how the Aussie Left/Peaceniks would react if a US Marine Recon unit was dropped into Australia everytime an American was in trouble Down Undah.
Have you forgotten that Kerry's sister was campaigning against Howard. There is an element in Australia in the population and the media that mirrors our own unpatriotic louts.
Howard is sharp. He makes a great leader.
Good God! Is there something in the water down there? No wonder this guy's party lost the elections. Yes, let's start a war with our closest allies; what an awesome idea.
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