DOWNER'S MATES

Alexander sited "a sticking by your mates" justification again for Australia's presence in Iraq. Pity he wasn't referring to the Iraqis..

There he was again in the US this week spruiking the same nonsensical justifications for the continued Australian presence in Iraq. Alexander Downer sounding like a yob after a pub or schoolyard brawl said “we stick by our mates through thick and thin” “we are Australians and basically with our mates, we don’t go around bagging them”.

So those of us that criticise the Iraq War are guilty of that most vile of international breaches - criticising our mates. Thank goodness Americans of all political complexions have moved their analysis of Iraq onto more meaningful terrain. Unlike Australia, the US is engaged in a real and robust debate about the current failure and the best solutions to the Iraq disaster. Impugning the patriotism of those who question the prosecution of the war is starting to taste bitter there at least.

Iraqis watching may have thought that they were the mates that Mr Downer was sticking by. They would be wrong of course. The Foreign Minister’s comments confirm that the Iraqis are ancillary to the rationale underpinning our participation in the failed occupation of their country. Our mates are the rapidly disappearing and disgraced extremists of the Bush Presidency. We are there in blind support of this failed Presidency and policy as it limps towards oblivion with Australia’s international standing in its back pocket.