Bali victim’s dad hits out at PM
“Linking war against Iraq with the Bali tragedy was cynical and the prime minister should immediately withdraw his remarks, the father of Bali bomb victim Josh Deegan said today.”

Look what John Howard’s done now: Australia was now fourth on the world’s terror attack hit list, with Qantas the most likely target, the country’s leading terror expert said today.
On the good news side, The full bench of the Family Court of Australia today rejected a federal government bid to quash a transsexual marriage.
More from the Age, “Prime Minister John Howard has accused peace demonstrators of giving comfort to Saddam Hussein and harming the chance of a peaceful outcome to the Iraqi crisis.” vs “Mr Howard had given comfort to Saddam Hussein by undermining the UN, [Opposition Leader] Mr Crean said.”

Age: Labor and US clash over Iraq
“As Mr Howard prepared to leave for talks with President George W Bush, the US warned that the personal nature of some anti-American Labor rhetoric on Iraq was not helping the US-Australia alliance. [Diddums!]
Opposition Leader Simon Crean replied that US Ambassador to Australia Tom Schieffer was naive if he thought the debate on Iraq would not become passionate.
Labor opposes war with Iraq which is not sanctioned by the United Nations, and some ALP members, notably frontbencher Mark Latham, attacked President Bush during this week’s parliamentary debate. [You can always count on Latham to speak his mind.]
Mr Latham said he was flaky and the most incompetent and dangerous president in living memory.”
…
“Mr Howard said that, far from simply doing what Washington wanted, he had real influence.” [Is he fooling himself, or trying to fool us?]
…
“However, the US was a very powerful country and, in the end, would take its own counsel, Mr Howard said.” [No shit, Sherlock.]

Various articles from the Age on the deployment of Australian troops to Iraq.
“Australian Greens senator Kerry Nettle addressed the band of peace supporters, telling them the Howard government was putting Australian troops and civilians at risk by supporting the potential US-led war on Iraq.
[…]
Dr Chesterfield-Evans [said]
“We followed an earlier American president into an illegal and immoral war in Vietnam – that should never happen again, and it wouldn’t if John Howard had learned the lessons of history,” he said.”
“Australian troops were being put at risk by being deployed for a possible war against Iraq ahead of possible UN authorisation, Opposition Leader Simon Crean said today.
[…]
“There are only three countries out of a United Nations of 191 that are involved in forward deployment.
“Australia is one of them and it shouldn’t be.” ”

The Independent on John Howard.
“Visitors seduced by images of a diverse, progressive nation are startled to find it run by a grey man who belongs in the 1950s.
For those who believe the hype about Australia, generated by tourism advertisements and the 2000 Olympic Games, Howard, in his early sixties, seems out of step with the times. Why did he sabotage a republican campaign that wanted a modern, self-confident country to stand on its own feet? Why has he steadfastly refused to apologise to Aborigines for past injustices? Why does he feel so threatened by the arrival of penniless people with beards and burqas?”
…
“Under his stewardship, the country has turned in on itself

According to googlism, John Howard is…
john howard is mr job loss
john howard is a fascist
john howard is mean and tricky
john howard is planning to record a cover version of stand by your man
john howard is not the smoothest commentator on cricket around and i
believe he would be the first to admit that
john howard is not sexy
john howard is short
john howard is prepared to tolerate women who are forced to parent
without a male partner when that male partner has rejected his
responsibility
john howard is a lecturer in american history at the university of york
in the united kingdom and the editor of carryin’ on in the gay and lesbian
south
john howard is a terrapin for life
Googlefight says john howard is a fascist
Last night I dreamt I had a pet turtle, does that mean I’m secretly dreaming about John Howard?

Stick with us in Iraq campaign, Powell pleads
As if Australia hasn’t already paid enough for Howard’s arse-licking support of Bush.

The Australian Prime Minister, John Howard was in England meeting the
Queen at Balmoral. They were discussing Australia and Howard’s plans
for the future.
Howard asked the queen if it was possible to turn Australia into a
Kingdom to increase its force in the world market. The Queen replied,
“One needs a King for a Kingdom and you are most certainly not a
King.”
He then asks if it is possible to turn Australia into an Empire. The
Queen replies, “For an Empire one needs an Emperor you are most
certainly not an Emperor.”
Howard thinks for a moment and then asks if it is possible to turn
Australia into a principality. The Queen replies, “For a principality
one needs a Prince and you Mr. Howard are certainly not a prince.”
The Queen adds further, “Without meaning to be rude Mr. Howard I think
Australia should remain as a country.”

John Howard blogs. I can’t believe no-one’s thought of this before.

More on the bum-kissing John Howard comments, this time from Carmen Lawrence, quoted in the Age, “It isn’t a word I would use, but the sentiment is about right,” she said.
“Everyone I have spoken to is deeply offended by Mr Howard’s sycophancy in the United States. He appeared like a little boy with George Bush … it was really embarrassing.”