have just seen howard...., page-24

may i remind you that the no fly zone is NOT UN sanctioned yet you say we assist with this policy. what then would prevent us with assisting in the policy of US unilateral non UN sanctioned war against Iraq? John cant have it both ways, he must fully inform the nation in such an important matter. he sugested in the interview that we've had the debate...surely he was commenting in jest. he has ostensibly resisted debating the issue contrary to what has occured in the US and britain. arent we supposed to have a Washminster governmental system. well how exceptional we are, on john howards term s alone. he is leading this nation into a war trap from which he will hardly retreat from if Mr blix manages to convince the UN council that force is not warranted. ie no real breach. Washington has huffed and puffed for months now about evidence....the only fact they produced was the importation of those illustrious aluminium tubes and this was immediately shot down by the UN itself. yeh sure cant release any more detail coz it would compromise security and the war plans. but then again if the evidence doesnt stack up then there shouldnt be any war plans. why are the europeans not convinced? because they are independent thinkers and on the evidence to date war is wrong and unnecessary. we have not exhausted the diplomatic option. deterrance has stood us well for decades and suddenly it has no relevence. No Saddam is not a madman, he is as calculating as they get , every bit as mad as bush or blair. this is another Vietnam in the making and australia is making the same mistake of blindly following where fools tread. many innocent people will die by 'smart' bombs but we will never hear about it coz the pentagon are in charge of coverage.....just like Afghanistan, just like the last gulf war massacre. 250 000 troops and six carriers, complete air superiority.....a massacre in the making. how easy to be a US general....just send in the bombers for a few weeks and then let us wave the flag thru the rubble as heroic conquerers. pathetic