Dean's World

Australian Prime Minister John Howard, currently visiting with Tony Blair, was asked by a reporter if the operation in Iraq wasn't part of the reason the Brits are experiencing terrorist attacks now. He gave exactly the correct answer, but my favorite response was this:

Can I remind you that the murder of 88 Australians in Bali took place before the operation in Iraq; and could I remind you that the 11 September occurred before the operation in Iraq; can I also remind you that the very first occasion that Bin Laden specifically referred to Australia was in the context of Australia's involvement in liberating the people of East Timor.

Are people, by implication, suggesting that we shouldn't have done that? When a group claimed responsibility on the website for the attacks on 7 July, they talked about British policy, not just in Iraq, but in Afghanistan. Are people suggesting we shouldn't be in Afghanistan?

You can read the complete transcript of the press conference in The Australian.

The more I look at the "anti-war" apologists for terrorism, the more I think they look like victims of battered spouse abuse. Every time we get hit, they blame themselves and everyone else--all except for the batterer.

(link)

TallDave (mail) (www):

You would think it would be accepted that this idea's been pretty well disproved by now, but apparently some people find it easy to ignore inconvenient facts.

The "Iraq War causes terrorism" canard strikes me as one more extension of the whole flawed "root causes" idea. It's a wonderful tool for blaming virtually anything on anyone but the perpetrators.

7.21.2005 11:47pm

Kevin D (mail):

This reminds me of something Dave Attel said, and I paraphrase: "I saw a woman at a bar and I was about to apprach her when I saw she had a black eye. I thought to myself, "Oh, she probably talks too much.""

It's weird, whenever bad things happen all I can do is crack jokes. Same thing when my step-father died. Everyone was mourning and here I was telling jokes. I suppose that's a defense mechanism or something...

7.22.2005 12:21am

jaymaster (mail):

Its a tribute to the collective intelligence of the Australians for keeping a man with such intellect and eloquence at the helm.

I’m not ashamed to say that I am a bit envious.

But I am grateful he is on our side.

7.22.2005 1:19am

Steven Malcolm Anderson (www):

The "anti-war" apolgists for terrorism are suicidal, they are for the Suicide of the West. I might even call them intellectual suicide bombers.

7.22.2005 1:39am

Mark at Urthshu (www):

The more I look at the "anti-war" apologists for terrorism, the more I think they look like victims of battered spouse abuse. Every time we get hit, they blame themselves and everyone else--all except for the batterer.

This reminds me of something Dave Attel said, and I paraphrase: "I saw a woman at a bar and I was about to apprach her when I saw she had a black eye. I thought to myself, "Oh, she probably talks too much."

Well, they really should just shut up already....

7.22.2005 2:01am

That's what I thought! lol

7.22.2005 5:33am

Sean Kinsell (mail) (www):

"Every time we get hit, they blame themselves and everyone else--all except for the batterer."

But he told me he loved me and promised he wouldn't do it again! And, you know, he's under a lot of stress.

7.22.2005 6:17am

But he told me he loved me and promised he wouldn't do it again!

Maybe if you understood the root causes of his anger toward you, you could address them and resolve the conflict.

7.22.2005 10:46am