an empty room

If you are a regular, or even occasional, listener to my 3AW programme in recent years you will know that I supported Prime Minister Howard’s decision to join the so-called Coalition of the Willing with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President George W. Bush to commit troops for the invasion of Iraq.

It is true that those much-vaunted Weapons of Mass Destruction were never found. But a murderous dictator, Saddam Hussein, was overthrown and is now in court facing the death penalty for crimes against humanity.

His murderous sons are already dead.

And Iraq now at least has a chance, despite the missiles and the suicide bombers of slowly building a democracy.

I supported all that. And I have said that John Howard has fought “well above his weight’ and has the best relationship with world leaders than any Australian Prime Minister in history. More so than Menzies, or Hawke, or Keating.

In 24 hours he hosted the presidents of  the United States and China in Canberra.

But. And it is a big but. In think President Bush has insulted Australia in recent months. We have not had an American ambassador in Australia for more than a year.

Now some may say that’s not a bad thing when you consider some of the used car salesmen and political cronies that some presidents have foisted on us in the past.

But it is the principal here. We are supposedly America’s closest ally. And the president and his advisers can’t find the time in a year to replace  Tom Schieffer. The man they nicknamed “schieffer brains”?

I saw a cartoon this week that had Prime Minister Howard asking the prez: “You gonna appoint a new ambassador, George?” And Bush replies: “Why bother, John? When it comes to ambassadoring, you’re the best.”

I do think it is an insult. I know we are the minor player in the Coalition of the Willing. But we are in there. And John Howard took political risks to get there and is still taking risks to stay there.

For Bush to treat Australia in such a cavalier fashion is simply wrong.

Friday, January 13, 2006

©Copyright Derryn Hinch 2006