Australian PM Howard: 'Why I had to send them'

The Daily Telegraph ^ | January 24 2003

[knighthawk]

Ping

[knighthawk]

http://www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,5883127%255E401,00.html

Australian deployment pleases US

THE White House has praised Australia for sending troops to the Gulf to join the US-led military build-up against Iraq.

"Thanks to the efforts of nations like Australia, the signal that is being sent that the world is serious helps enhance the chances for peace," spokesman Ari Fleischer said.

President George W. Bush "would like to thank the people and the government of Australia for their efforts in working to achieve peace through the military force that Australia has dispatched to Iraq", he added.

"The president continues to hope that this matter can be resolved peacefully."

The spokesman also hit out at France and Germany, who have refused to back any war.

He said they were not needed to conduct a successful military campaign to disarm Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

[cynicom]

Actions such as this buys the Aussies a lot of trust and good will for the future, in case they need it.

[backhoe]

Never forget:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/768567/posts

[Dog]

You stay safe over there in Europe my friend when this starts to go down.....it could get messy.

[VOA]

Actions such as this buys the Aussies a lot of trust and good will for the future, in case they need it.

Just my amateur opinion...
the Aussies have just added onto the good will they've built up over many years and
many wars (serving in places like Vietnam with the US).

I remember Paul Harvey (the news commentator) mentioning how Howard was
under fire for keeping Muslim boat-people from legally landing in Australia...
after 9-11, he looked like a freakin' genius.

And after the Bali Bombing, I read one quote in which he suppossedly told a victim's
relatives "We're going to get the bastards that did this".

The Aussie system may be a bit more socialist than the USA...but they're A-OK...

[Inkie]

Agree with you 110%. Hooray for the Aussies.

[LibKill]

It looks like Australia is one of only three countries with the wit to see Saddam for what he is, and the stones to put him out of business. You know who the other two are.

[knighthawk]

I am thankful I live in a village, away from cities like Rotterdam, Utrecht or Amsterdam.

So I'll be safe.

[Stefan Stackhouse]

The spokesman also hit out at France and Germany, who have refused to back any war. He said they were not needed to conduct a successful military campaign to disarm Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

A little verbose. I would have simply said:

France and Germany are not needed.

[For the Unborn]

Take your tourist dollars to UK, Eastern Europe and Australia! Who needs the terrorist-suckups in France and Germany.

[American Soldier]

As the naval band on the Garden Island dock yesterday played Waltzing Matilda

Isn't that song about a guy getting his legs blown off at Gallipoli?

It's a beautiful tune but if I end up deploying and someone plays a song like that for me (like one of our songs about a "mother and a gold star in the window") I will feel tempted to smack them despite any good intentions.

But if it gives the Aussies courage, more power to them.

[VOA]

Take your tourist dollars to UK, Eastern Europe and Australia!
Who needs the terrorist-suckups in France and Germany.

Heck, my guess is that France and Germany are so over-run with Muslims who fit in
with the anti-Jewish strain of those countries...they are now situating themselves where
they innately belong.

OK, time for a humor break...I heard this joke on the radio today:
"France has decided to join the USA, UK and other allied countries today
regardless of the United Nations' stance on Iraq.
This change of heart is contingent on the promise by USA State Department officials
that Lance Armstrong would not participate in the Tour de France again."

[judgeandjury]

I send my heartfelt thanks to our good friends and allies, the Aussies.

[El Gato]

Actions such as this buys the Aussies a lot of trust and good will for the future, in case they need it.

True, but it's also true that having a bunch of your people blown up while vacationing by representatives of the "religion of peace" will tend to clear and focus your thinking on such matters. I also suspect the PM of Oz has already seen the evidence that the rest of us might get to see shortly.

[BlessedBeGod]

"France has decided to join the USA, UK and other allied countries today regardless of the United Nations' stance on Iraq. This change of heart is contingent on the promise by USA State Department officials that Lance Armstrong would not participate in the Tour de France again."

ROFLMHO!

Go Aussies!

[VOA]

ROFLMHO!

(Elvis emulation): "Thank you, thank you very much..."

Go Aussies!

I'll say amen to that and bump...and now I've got to do my chores!

[Kev-Head]

God Bless the Aussies. They have the guts to stand side by side with the USA. Where are thoses whom England the US & the Aussies liberated in WWII. France is kissing up to the country that invaded them in WWII, Germany. Thanks for the support Australia.

[judgeandjury]

Isn't that song about a guy getting his legs blown off at Gallipoli?

I don't know which song you may be referring to, but Waltzing Matilda has nothing at all to do with the battle at Gallipoli. Waltzing Matilda was actually written sometime in the 1890's. The battle at Gallipoli took place in 1914 or 1915.