Day After Ending Combat Ops, Australian PM Savages Predecessor For Joining War, Calls Him Liar
Leftist Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
Related: Australian Soldiers Ashamed To Wear Their Uniforms
Washington Times:
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd accused his predecessor of abusing intelligence information to justify entering the Iraq war, saying Monday that the Australian people were misled.
In remarks to parliament on the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, which began Sunday, Rudd said the nation must learn from the errors of former Prime Minister John Howard, who sent 2,000 troops to support U.S. and British forces in the 2003 invasion.
“We must learn from Australia’s experience in the lead-up to going to war with Iraq and not repeat the same mistakes in the future,” Rudd said.
He criticized Howard’s government for going to war without accurate information or a full assessment of the consequences.
“Of most concern to this government was the manner in which the decision to go to war was made: the abuse of intelligence information, a failure to disclose to the Australian people the qualified nature of that intelligence,” Rudd said.
Before the invasion, Howard argued that Saddam Hussein had to be toppled to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction and terrorism. The weapons were not discovered and no definite links were established between Saddam and al-Qaida or other terror networks.
Rudd said Howard wrongly believed that Australia’s close alliance with the United States left him with no choice but to join the campaign in Iraq.
“This government does not believe that our alliance with the United States mandates automatic compliance with every element of the United States’ foreign policy,” Rudd told Parliament.
White House press secretary Dana Perino said she had not reviewed Rudd’s comments, but said the U.S. invasion was based on intelligence that the entire world had.
“We acted based on a threat that was presented to us,” Perino said at the White House. “Since then, we have learned that there was not WMD (weapons of mass destruction) in Iraq.”
She said the U.S. has since taken steps to strengthen the accuracy of intelligence.
Howard could not be immediately reached for comment after Rudd’s address. However, in an interview published Monday in The Sydney Morning Herald, Howard said he was “baffled” by the decision to withdraw troops, adding he would have shifted them into a training roles.
The former prime minister has long denied deliberately misleading the Australian public over the threat posed by Iraq.
A government-commissioned inquiry in 2004 into Australian spy agencies’ pre-Iraq war intelligence cleared Howard’s government of overstating the case for joining the U.S.-led invasion.
But in his 185-page report, retired diplomat and spy master Philip Flood lamented “the thinness of the intelligence on which analysts were expected to make difficult calls” about Iraq’s alleged weapons of mass destruction. Details about the intelligence and how it was provided were not available.
Rudd campaigned for November’s general election vowing to withdraw combat troops by mid-2008.
On Sunday troops lowered the Australian flag that had flown over Camp Terendak in the southern Iraqi city of Talil, marking an end to the service of the 550 soldiers there.
Twenty-seven Australian troops have been wounded in Iraq. None were killed in combat.
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You can expect more of the same if Hussein wins the election.
June 2nd, 2008 at 11:42 amLet this be a warning to us, legislative defeat is all this is.
Every intelligence agency allied to the US that was consulted came to the same conclusion, he was a threat and it was over proliferation of chemical, biological, and nuclear material.
You are blowing smoke Rudd, and dishonoring the Aussie soldiers’ efforts.
June 2nd, 2008 at 11:44 amUnlimited “thanks” to our Aussie cousins in-arms … You ARE shoulder-to-shoulder with our Yank troops in every way.
Bite me, Rudd.
June 2nd, 2008 at 11:46 amIt’s the gathering storm.
and this little sight is a gathering LIGHT.
June 2nd, 2008 at 11:57 amExposing the dark side of deceptive lies.
For Americas Pride.
OK, they had a government study (several actually) that CLEARED his predecessor of “overstating the case.” What a political hack doofus. 550 troops. He acts like it was two divisions or something. Go back to your Harry Potter novel.
June 2nd, 2008 at 12:00 pmIt’s THE gathering storm!!!
and this little sight is a gathering LIGHT.
Exposing the dark side of deceptive lies.
For Americas Pride.
(and our Aussie friends too)
June 2nd, 2008 at 12:01 pm[[“Of most concern to this government was the manner in which the decision to go to war was made: the abuse of intelligence information, a failure to disclose to the Australian people the qualified nature of that intelligence,” Rudd said.]]
Rudd=cock sucking rascist liberal turd. Fuck him. Snipers needed.
June 2nd, 2008 at 12:10 pmBambi ‘lite’.
June 2nd, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Drillanwr: 
June 2nd, 2008 at 12:18 pmThe inconvenient truth is that Saddam had & used WMD’s, gave santuary to terrorist, defied the no-fly zone treaty, was an unrepentent homicidal tyrant and this little piss ant Rudd withdraws a measly 500 troops. When the Red Chinese/Iranians or any other latter day Imperialist come knocking at the door, the Aussies are going to regret voting in this yellow backed loser!
June 2nd, 2008 at 12:41 pmhe would actually be a very good leader if he wasnt such a leftist fuck.
June 2nd, 2008 at 5:00 pmkeep in mind howard was the douche who banned semi automatic hunting rifles and shotguns.and rudd is a gun owner so he had support from the ssaa.and howard had done a few other stupid things that really pissed people off.
June 2nd, 2008 at 5:11 pm“drillanwr (hembra blanca típica)
Unlimited “thanks” to our Aussie cousins in-arms … You ARE shoulder-to-shoulder with our Yank troops in every way.
Bite me, Rudd.”
-Seconded.
June 2nd, 2008 at 5:47 pm“The weapons were not discovered and no definite links were established between Saddam and al-Qaida or other terror networks.” Says who, “journalist” ?? Up yours!
Screw you Rudd. Lying leftist puke!
June 2nd, 2008 at 6:34 pmAnother deluded
leftist due to have to eat scheiße after the results roll in. 
June 2nd, 2008 at 9:26 pmEveryone else is joining the war in Iraq- France and Italy included. Conservative governments are popping up even in Europe- Bush has helped strengthen our relationships with our allies.
Rudd should just shut up and help defend the world from terrorists. I bet he’s not doing even 5% of what President Bush is doing to help bring down global terrorism.
June 2nd, 2008 at 10:41 pmIt’s THE gathering storm!!!
and this little sight is a gathering LIGHT.
Exposing the dark side of deceptive lies.
For Americas Pride.
(and our Aussie friends too)
Are you saying that Rudd is correct in his action and that he is exposing Bush’s decision as lies and we’ve been duped?
June 2nd, 2008 at 11:32 pmbecause if thats what you think then your in the wrong place flipin crap @ the wrong crowd. Your site would be the daily KOS and you would be wise to leave here.
Kevin Rudd will not be re-elected. He was put there by our trade unions and has turned his back on them almost the day after he was voted in. Not only is he a liar, it is becoming apparent that he is also a coward. Apparently, he spent a lot of his formative years in China, and is known for his fluency in mandarin.He’ll have to check with the wife before introducing communism though, she is a self made multi millionaire. I voted for this arsehole, once bitten twice shy.
June 3rd, 2008 at 2:50 amMan. I feel sorry for my Aussie bretheren. How can a brave bunch of people tolerate such a weasel as Rudd? He just doesn’t seem Aussie to me. None of that vigor and vim, that I ran into with the few Aussie troops that I’ve encountered.
Maybe he should leave Australia and go somewhere where he’d be welcome…like maybe bumfuckegypt or something.
Disgusting.
June 3rd, 2008 at 3:22 am
Dan, thanks man
June 4th, 2008 at 3:20 am