From the ABC …..
Rice
salutes Australian troops
US
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has thanked a small contingent of Australian
troops who have returned from Iraq, Afghanistan and Sumatra at a gathering in
Melbourne.
Dr Rice
had said she wanted to personally address the 26 military personnel from the Navy,
Army and Air Force at the Victoria Barracks as part of her three-day visit to Australia.
She
says whether the troops are liberating Afghanistan or Iraq or helping the
people affected by the tsunami, the US Government is proud of them.
"We
know that the men and women of Australia and the men and women of the United
States in uniform stand for the very best of our countries," she said.
"You
represent us so well. We're so proud and so grateful for your service. I come to thank Australia from President Bush, from the
American people, from your compatriots, the American men & women in
uniform.”
he's our man .....
The Global Eye, the death penalty and the Prez...
From the Moscow Times
Bone Thugs
By Chris Floyd
Published: March 17, 2006
Hardened cynics often accuse President George W. Bush of ruthlessly exploiting the tragedy of 9/11 to advance his preset agenda of killing a whole heap of foreigners. This is, of course, a calumnious slander against the Dear Leader's noble ambitions. For as he demonstrated last week, Bush is also exploiting the tragedy of 9/11 to advance his preset agenda of killing a whole heap of Americans as well.
read more at the Moscow Times
the value of salutes .....
"Our armies do not come into your cities and lands as
conquerors or enemies, but as liberators.
Your wealth has been stripped of
you by unjust men.
The people of Baghdad shall
flourish under institutions which are in consonance with their sacred
laws."
(General F.S. Maude, commander
of British forces in Iraq, 1917)
Yes Mr President .....
The Editor,
Sydney Morning Herald. March
19, 2006.
Yes Mr President (‘Howard hints
at policy reversal on uranium’, Herald, March 18, 2006).
John Howard says he told US
Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, that he’s “pleased” with the new nuclear
co-operation agreement between India & the US, because it will bring
India’s civilian nuclear capacity under the purview of inspectors for the first
time.
How could he be “pleased” that
India will be permitted to keep eight of its 22 reactors under wraps as secret
military sites & remain free to decide whether it will open any of its new,
weapons-friendly, "fast-breeder" reactors to inspection as civil
sites, or to classify them as exempt secret military installations?
Is he “pleased” with a deal that
threatens stability in our region, in particular between India & Pakistan,
& sanctions further nuclear proliferation outside the framework of the
nuclear non-proliferation treaty? And how could he be “pleased” about the
prospect of supplying Australian uranium to India under such circumstances,
whilst potentially jeopardising our relationship with China?
Looks like our Prime Minister was
told to be “pleased”.
Sheds, outhouses and gallows
From the Independent
British farmer building gallows for export to Africa
By Kate Thomas
Published: 10 May 2006
A British farmer who sold execution equipment to countries such as Zimbabwe and Libya has been accused of "making a mockery" of UK efforts to oppose the death penalty abroad.
David Lucas, who makes a modest income selling animal bedding, outhouses and garden sheds from his Suffolk farm, said he has been profiting from a sideline in exporting platform gallows...
read more at the Independent