Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

peeb · Jun 2, 2008, 01:13 PM

ABC News: Australia Ends Iraq Combat Operations

"Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who was swept into office in November largely on the promise that he would bring home the country's 550 combat troops by the middle of 2008. Rudd has said the Iraq deployment made Australia more of a target for terrorism."

'Rudd's predecessor, former Prime Minister John Howard, said he was "baffled" by the decision to withdraw the troops. "If I had been returned at the last election we would not have been bringing (troops) home"'

Presumably, that was why he was not returned at the last election...

subego · Jun 2, 2008, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by peeb

"Rudd has said the Iraq deployment made Australia more of a target for terrorism."

And I'm a monkey's uncle.

Originally Posted by peeb

Presumably, that was why he was not returned at the last election...

What? You mean this decision was based on politics?

peeb · Jun 2, 2008, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by subego

And I'm a monkey's uncle.

Well that explains a lot.

Originally Posted by subego

What? You mean this decision was based on politics?

We call it 'democracy'. Governments being responsive to populations not wanting war-crimes committed in their name.

subego · Jun 2, 2008, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by peeb

Well that explains a lot.

Monkeys have tails.

I'm clearly a baboon. Back to school for you.

Originally Posted by peeb

We call it 'democracy'. Governments being responsive to populations not wanting war-crimes committed in their name.

Hmmm. He didn't mention war crimes. He'd probably lose his job if he did. More democracy in action I guess.

smacintush · Jun 2, 2008, 01:56 PM

Good timing, now that the we have turned the corner in Iraq.

subego · Jun 2, 2008, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by smacintush

Good timing, now that the we have turned the corner in Iraq.

I'm not sure if you're joking here or not, but assuming you're not...

Even as someone who fervently believes we need to stick things out in Iraq for as long as it takes, I've heard the above statement so many times that at this point it's going to take far more than being true to convince me.

peeb · Jun 2, 2008, 02:32 PM

It's the faith based approach the current administration favors. Facts get in the way of their fervent beliefs.

Chuckit · Jun 2, 2008, 02:38 PM

Wait, 500 combat troops? 500? Holy cow, there are more Marines from my hometown than there are military personnel from all of Australia. That's 0.4% of what we've got over there. This really doesn't mean that much in practical terms.

smacintush · Jun 2, 2008, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by peeb

It's the faith based approach the current administration favors. Facts get in the way of their fervent beliefs.

You need to pay more attention to current events in Iraq. The act of faith is to deny the success that we are finally having there.

Hawkeye_a · 11:02 AM

Good on you Rudd. Now just focus on border control and more selective immigration policies.

smacintush · Jun 2, 2008, 03:03 PM

Originally Posted by Chuckit

Wait, 500 combat troops? 500? Holy cow, there are more Marines from my hometown than there are military personnel from all of Australia. That's 0.4% of what we've got over there. This really doesn't mean that much in practical terms.

It doesn't mean that much in any terms. It's just another story that someone can use to express their personal anger and negativity.

subego · Jun 2, 2008, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by peeb

It's the faith based approach the current administration favors. Facts get in the way of their fervent beliefs.

Well, you'll hear nothing but criticism from me about that.

In fact, this has caused more damage than any other factor, by at least an order of magnitude.

peeb · Jun 2, 2008, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by smacintush

It doesn't mean that much in any terms. It's just another story that someone can use to express their personal anger and negativity.

In fact, it's just another country getting out from under this disastrous misadventure in the Middle East.

subego · Jun 2, 2008, 03:19 PM

Originally Posted by smacintush

You need to pay more attention to current events in Iraq. The act of faith is to deny the success that we are finally having there.

As I said...

As someone who believes we should stay there as long as we need to, I've been lied to so many times that I resent the accusation that I'm wrong (or peeb's wrong) for being skeptical.

smacintush · Jun 2, 2008, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by subego

As I said...

As someone who believes we should stay there as long as we need to, I've been lied to so many times that I resent the accusation that I'm wrong (or peeb's wrong) for being skeptical.

Well you have that right, but isn't being skeptical in the face of facts and evidence exactly on par with what you all are accusing the administration of?

subego · Jun 2, 2008, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by smacintush

Well you have that right, but isn't being skeptical in the face of facts and evidence exactly on par with what you all are accusing the administration of?

That would depend on what facts and evidence I was familiar with.

What I'm trying to get at here is rather than behave as if "no it isn't" will suffice in the warranted atmosphere of skepticism, present some facts and evidence.

art_director · Jun 4, 2008, 05:02 PM

Chalk up one more government smarter than our own. They're out, we're in for the long haul and we, the American taxpayer, will foot the bill for George's Little Adventure.