AUSTRALIA & THE WINGNUTS

I noted below that the war whore wingnuts pointed to an opinion piece that argued that America's standing in Asia, particularly with Japan, S. Korea and Australia, was strengthened by the Iraq War. Today I learn that we can cross Australia off that list.

Why Australia is leaving Iraq
Prime Minister Rudd criticized the US justification for the 2003 invasion of Iraq as 550 Australian troops packed up to leave.
By Nick Squires Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor
from the June 3, 2008 edition

Sydney, Australia - Australia's prime minister said Monday that the reasons used to justify joining the war in Iraq turned out to be false.

Labor leader Kevin Rudd made the remarks a day after ordering his country's 550 combat troops to head home after five years in Iraq.

He dismissed one by one the reasons used by the Howard administration – and by association the Bush administration – to topple Saddam Hussein.

- "Have further terrorist attacks been prevented? No, they have not been, as the victims of the Madrid train bombing will attest," Rudd told Parliament.

- "Has any evidence of a link between weapons of mass destruction and the former Iraqi regime and terrorists been found? No.

- "Have the actions of rogue states like Iran been moderated? No ... Iran's nuclear ambitions remain a fundamental challenge.

- "After five years, has the humanitarian crisis in Iraq been removed? No, it has not."