Seems things are not going to be at all easy for George W. if today's news is anything to go by.
Now Australia has added its voice to the Europeans in calling for caution in the buildup of tensions with Iraq.
Here's tonight's news report here:
| 22:46 AEST Sat 7 Sep 2002 | |||||
| PM tells Bush to work with UN
Prime Minister John Howard has repeated his support for UN involvement in Iraq during a phone call with US President George W Bush. Mr Howard said Mr Bush had phoned him on Saturday morning to talk about Iraq and had confirmed he had not taken a decision to pursue military action. Mr Bush is to meet British Prime Minister Tony Blair to discuss a diplomatic strategy should he decide to begin military action on Iraq. The president wants Congress to approve a resolution to permit action against Iraq if he decides to pursue such a move. Mr Bush is to address the UN General Assembly within the next week.
"The United Nations has obligations, the broader world community has obligations in relation to this issue," Mr Howard said at the Queensland Liberal Party convention. "It is not right, it is not appropriate, for all of the obligation to be seen to fall upon the United States." Mr Howard said Mr Bush had told him he shared Australia's abhorrence and distaste for war. "We all hope that this issue can be resolved without military action," Mr Howard said. Australian personnel attached to the US military were watching developments closely, he said. Opposition Leader Simon Crean called for more information, saying talk of one phone call was not enough and people wanted answers. Mr Howard must report to parliament ahead of a full debate, Mr Crean said. Evidence for a commitment to war on Iraq had not been established, he said, and he urged against hasty, ill-considered decisions. "If it's good enough for the president of the United States to address the UN General Assembly, then it ought to be good enough for the Australian parliament to hear a report from the prime minister and to debate the issues," he said. Mr Crean said Mr Howard had softened his stance, after earlier allowing his government to be gung-ho about the need to act against Iraq. Meanwhile in Adelaide, 200 protesters demonstrated outside Foreign Minister Alexander Downer's office, voicing concern about war. The Australian Greens, Australian Democrats and Community Aid Abroad erected cardboard doves near Mr Downer's office in the Adelaide Hills, calling for peace. Protest organiser Felicity Martin said about 800 of the doves had been signed by the South Australian public and would eventually be sent to Mr Howard. A recent survey of 300 Adelaide Hills residents showed 80 per cent of them opposed a war on Iraq, she said. "We are deeply concerned, it's an act of aggression and an act of genocide," Ms Martin said. "We're opposed to war as a solution for any problem. "It's a critical point in human evolution that we have to break away from the call for war and look at more enlightened ways of reaching peace."
Cheers, Ozzie | |||||
