This week, Alexander “don’t
know, didn’t see, no-one told me” Downer told Lateline’s Tony Jones that
David Hicks might have some back
ailment but otherwise he was fine – according to Australian Consular
reports. 

Last night, Alfred McCoy,
Professor of history at the University of Wisconsin, told Jones that: 

‘Gandhi once said if Christians lived according to their
faith, there would be no Hindus left in India. He knew how powerful the
fundamental tenets of Christianity - fighting poverty, caring for the least
among us, loving your enemies, eschewing materialism and embracing humility -
could be if everyone who called themselves a Christian truly followed them. 

The new documentary, Jesus Camp,
which chronicles a North Dakota summer camp where kids as young as 6 are taught
to become dedicated Christian soldiers in "God's army," is an
illustration of this sentiment in the extreme. 

 
Meanwhile in the parallel universe of conservative
bed-time history for right-wing raised kiddies... 

From the New York Times 

Bush Discusses Iraq With Top War
Commanders ….. 

CAMP DAVID, Md. (AP) -- President
Bush declared Monday to a nation weary of war that democracy in the Middle
East is worth the high price to the United States. He also said Iraq's
neighbours should be doing more to help.

A classic example of sneaky al-Qaeda asymmetrical terrorist
attack: one stretcher-strapped terrorist 'takes out' three defenceless Guantanamo guards.

‘The last few weeks have seen
disastrous news breaking over the Bush administration, like Katrina come again.
This time, though, it's not hurricane winds and surging seas, but waves of
innocent blood overtopping the banks of the Tigris and the Euphrates to turn
the White House crimson. Report after report of horrific atrocities - long held back
by a levee of lies, fear, obfuscation and the natural confusion of war - has
broken through, flooding the imperial capital with the reeking, corpse-filled
backwash of the vast criminal folly committed by its grubby little Caesar. 

Hamas ends truce after beachside shelling .....

Islamic militant group Hamas has
called off a 16-month-old truce with Israel after attacks blamed on
Israeli forces killed 10 Palestinians, including three children playing on
a beach. 

Israel's army, which had been
shelling northern Gaza to curb rocket fire by militants, says it is
investigating the deaths. 

There is more
to the Prime Minister's family history than modesty, honesty and hard work,
writes David Marr. 

‘The corner of Ewart Street and
Wardell Road in Sydney's Dulwich Hill is sacred ground for John Howard and the
modern Liberal Party. For nearly 30 years, the Prime Minister's father ran a
service station on this spot, setting an example his son thinks Australia
should follow. 

All the usual cocks were crowing yesterday at the reported
death in Iraq of the alleged al-Qaeda terrorist, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. 

Our little rodent positively salivated at the news, along
with his co-conspirators, “aussie tony” & the great decider. 

Howard claimed: “The reported death of Abu Musab
al-Zarqawi is great news for the people of Iraq, the real victims of his
murderous behaviour. 

‘The Bush administration invaded Iraq claiming Saddam
Hussein had tried to buy yellowcake uranium in Niger. 

As much of Washington knew, and
the world soon learned, the charge was false. 

Worse, it appears to have been
the cornerstone of a highly successful "black propaganda" campaign
with links to the White House.’ 

Former Iraqi hostage Douglas Wood has revealed his expertise in nuclear reactors and wants to be a prime player in the Australian nuclear inquiry.  The former Bechtel nuclear power plant designer, whose release was used in US military propoganda, recently announced his divorce from his American wife to the Australian media without bothering to tell the woman first.

 I've been a keen follower of Wood's progress since the night that Alexander Downer announced Wood's release and have followed his media trail from the lofty heights of the NBC Today Show to the crevasse of the Shepparton Football club, where a uncooperative CD player refused to provide the backing music for Wood's rendition of "I did it my way"  I've laughed at Wood's attempts to win product endorsements for Coonawara red wine, lamb roasts and VB, and cried with him as, one by one, his media deals failed.  His aspirations to give motivational talks on the lucrative U.S. public speaking also appear to be fading dreams.

 
‘Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has written a brilliant new article
about the biggest political story in the history of the United States: An
American politician illegitimately took the office of president by outright
theft and fraud. Although such high crimes and misdemeanors have been rumored
in previous elections, none in the history of the republic have been so
thoroughly documented. George W. Bush is not the legitimate president of the
United States.’ 

Stand Up For Democracy

In his Opinion piece in
yesterday’s Australian, In
A Limbo Beyond The Laws Of War, Neil James arrogantly criticises the Law
Council of Australia for speaking out on the continuing cruel & illegal
incarceration & torture of David Hicks.

Whilst an academic debate on the
meaning & applicability of the “laws of war” in the Hicks case is bound to
fascinate military buffs & the occasional lawyer, it would be of greater
value to the specific debate if it were relevant: which it isn’t. 

From the ABC …..

Stanhope to appeal to G-G to save civil unions law 

ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope
will appeal to the Governor-General to try to save the Territory's civil
union legislation. 

Prime Minister John Howard and
the federal Attorney-General have announced they will advise the Governor-General
to disallow the law.