Australian Opposition Leader Crean on PM to reverse decision
Federal Opposition leader Simon Crean has urged Mr Howard to reverse the decision to commit Australian troops to a war in Iraq. Mr Crean says it will spawn terrorism and make Australia more of a terrorist target. "This is a Prime Minister besotted with his connection with the US President, subservient to it, but not representing Australia's national interests," he said.
Edited transcript of Opposition leader Simon Crean's press conference
This war is wrong and Australia should have no part of it.
The Prime Minister has committed us to war because the US President has asked him to.
It's not in Australia's national interests and there is an alternative way.
The Prime Minister has recklessly committed us to the "coalition of the willing" from which he has no way out and he knows that he should have considered Australia's national interests in the broader spectrum than simply being subservient to the United States.
This is a sad day for Australia.
The Government is taking us down the wrong path. Labor will continue to argue that that path be reversed.
My support and that of the Labor Party is fully for the troops. I've consistently said that.
I've said it to them when I farewelled them on the Kanimbla. They have no choice in this matter. They have to follow the orders of the Government of the day.
It's the Government's decision that is wrong – the Government's decision to pre-deploy them; the Government's decision, now, to commit them. But our argument will be with the Government, not with the troops.
And I will ensure that every support is given to our troops, even though I fundamentally disagree with the decision that puts them there.
If I were the prime minister those troops would not have been pre-deployed.
If I were the prime minister, I would not commit them today. If I become the prime minister and this action is still involved – and let's hope that is not the case – I would withdraw them. But that's the argument, that's the political argument. That's the discussion that needs to be had in the Parliament.
And I noticed today, when the Prime Minister was saying that he would take the decision in the Cabinet today, he said he would let the US President know.
He made no mention of the Australian people. I mean, this is incredible. This is a Prime Minister that is beholden and answerable only to the US President – not, it would seem, the Australian people.
The Parliament should be debating this question fully, and the Parliament should be carrying a resolution that says that no support for military action should occur without the authority of the United Nations.
That's what the Parliament should determine. That's, I believe, what the Australian people want. It's certainly the view, consistently, that the Australian Labor Party has been arguing. And I will use the opportunity in the Parliament to argue that point.
Today is the moment of truth for John Howard, because he's been found out as having made that commitment, but not having the courage to tell our troops or the Australian public until he's had the final call from the US President.
Australian Opposition Leader Crean on PM to reverse decision
Federal Opposition leader Simon Crean has urged Mr Howard to reverse the decision to commit Australian troops to a war in Iraq. Mr Crean says it will spawn terrorism and make Australia more of a terrorist target. "This is a Prime Minister besotted with his connection with the US President, subservient to it, but not representing Australia's national interests," he said.
Edited transcript of Opposition leader Simon Crean's press conference
This war is wrong and Australia should have no part of it.
The Prime Minister has committed us to war because the US President has asked him to.
It's not in Australia's national interests and there is an alternative way.
The Prime Minister has recklessly committed us to the "coalition of the willing" from which he has no way out and he knows that he should have considered Australia's national interests in the broader spectrum than simply being subservient to the United States.
This is a sad day for Australia.
The Government is taking us down the wrong path. Labor will continue to argue that that path be reversed.
My support and that of the Labor Party is fully for the troops. I've consistently said that.
I've said it to them when I farewelled them on the Kanimbla. They have no choice in this matter. They have to follow the orders of the Government of the day.
It's the Government's decision that is wrong – the Government's decision to pre-deploy them; the Government's decision, now, to commit them. But our argument will be with the Government, not with the troops.
And I will ensure that every support is given to our troops, even though I fundamentally disagree with the decision that puts them there.
If I were the prime minister those troops would not have been pre-deployed.
If I were the prime minister, I would not commit them today. If I become the prime minister and this action is still involved – and let's hope that is not the case – I would withdraw them. But that's the argument, that's the political argument. That's the discussion that needs to be had in the Parliament.
And I noticed today, when the Prime Minister was saying that he would take the decision in the Cabinet today, he said he would let the US President know.
He made no mention of the Australian people. I mean, this is incredible. This is a Prime Minister that is beholden and answerable only to the US President – not, it would seem, the Australian people.
The Parliament should be debating this question fully, and the Parliament should be carrying a resolution that says that no support for military action should occur without the authority of the United Nations.
That's what the Parliament should determine. That's, I believe, what the Australian people want. It's certainly the view, consistently, that the Australian Labor Party has been arguing. And I will use the opportunity in the Parliament to argue that point.
Today is the moment of truth for John Howard, because he's been found out as having made that commitment, but not having the courage to tell our troops or the Australian public until he's had the final call from the US President.
