This article belongs to And That's the Way It Is column.
Ah yes, my Australian friends certainly won't like me for this little contribution but then, that's life.
First of all we must ask the question as to how on earth John Howard ever managed to stay in power as Prime Minister for 11 long years. Were Australians asleep at the wheel or did they just care more about cricket rather than a fair and just Government?
Just look at the record of this grubby little man.
He was a clumsy, incompetent Treasurer during a previous Liberal Government, he lied during the Tampa affair, he lied during the Children Overboard affair, he locked up asylum seekers, including women and children, in concentration-style detention centres, he and George Bush and Tony Blair engaged in an illegal war, he allowed boat people to drown while a Australian Navy vessel was close enough to intervene and in general terms, he essentially ruled by scare-mongering the Australian population rather than producing fair and just Government for the Australian population.
In international terms, Howard turned Australia's reputation from one of respect for proper processes and human rights to one of an aggressive nasty little country that has been punching way beyond its weight caring little about its international legal obligations and responsibilities.
Internationally, Australians were once welcomed with open arms throughout the world. These days however, Australians are shunned more often than not and mostly regarded as being aggressive and hostile, all courtesy of a Prime Minister and a Government that highly likely will eventually be seen as one of the worst Governments Australians have ever had to endure.
So what now?
Well, first of all, it is going to take more than the current Rudd Government to turn Australia's reputation into something like it once was.
It is going to take the prosecution of Howard and Co for blatant international law breaches, it is going to take a renouncing of the policies of fear in and of Australia and it is going to take a reaching out to the world by Australia and Australians in terms of proving to the international community that the Howard years were a grave 11-year error of judgement that won't be repeated.
In all, instead of watching the cricket, Australians may care to ensure that they never again get sucked in by likes of John Howard and his grubby little mates.
And like it or not.
My name is Henk Luf.
And That's The Way It Is
First of all we must ask the question as to how on earth John Howard ever managed to stay in power as Prime Minister for 11 long years. Were Australians asleep at the wheel or did they just care more about cricket rather than a fair and just Government?
Just look at the record of this grubby little man.
He was a clumsy, incompetent Treasurer during a previous Liberal Government, he lied during the Tampa affair, he lied during the Children Overboard affair, he locked up asylum seekers, including women and children, in concentration-style detention centres, he and George Bush and Tony Blair engaged in an illegal war, he allowed boat people to drown while a Australian Navy vessel was close enough to intervene and in general terms, he essentially ruled by scare-mongering the Australian population rather than producing fair and just Government for the Australian population.
In international terms, Howard turned Australia's reputation from
"
He was a clumsy, incompetent Treasurer during a previous Liberal Government, he lied during the Tampa affair, he lied during the Children Overboard affair, he locked up asylum seekers, including women and children...Internationally, Australians were once welcomed with open arms throughout the world. These days however, Australians are shunned more often than not and mostly regarded as being aggressive and hostile, all courtesy of a Prime Minister and a Government that highly likely will eventually be seen as one of the worst Governments Australians have ever had to endure.
So what now?
Well, first of all, it is going to take more than the current Rudd Government to turn Australia's reputation into something like it once was.
It is going to take the prosecution of Howard and Co for blatant international law breaches, it is going to take a renouncing of the policies of fear in and of Australia and it is going to take a reaching out to the world by Australia and Australians in terms of proving to the international community that the Howard years were a grave 11-year error of judgement that won't be repeated.
In all, instead of watching the cricket, Australians may care to ensure that they never again get sucked in by likes of John Howard and his grubby little mates.
And like it or not.
My name is Henk Luf.
And That's The Way It Is
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