posted March 30, 2003 at 4:56 p.m. MDTGlobal justice, international law, human rights ... which of this list can be considered optional?
Iran won't back US regime in post-war Iraq [abc.net.au] - Iran "will not support" an Iraqi government installed by the United States - only one chosen democratically by the Iraqi people, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi said.
"We will not support a government installed by the Americans in Iraq," Mr Kharazi told a press conference in Iraq. "Such a government is an imposed government.
"We can only respect a government if it is established under the supervision of the United Nations and has been chosen by the vote of the Iraqis themselves."
National interest, terrorism and the war in Iraq [abc.net.au] - "According to terrorism expert Dr David Wright-Neville the Prime Minister John Howard is wrong when he says that Australia's role in Iraq is in the national interest. Dr Wright-Neville says while increasing the danger faced by Australians from terrorist attacks, the war will achieve next to nothing in terms of safety from terrorist attack, our trade-based prosperity or our intelligence based national security."
As I related earlier, Oz is deeply engaged in swinging a bilateral trade agreement with Uncle Sam ... this has to be factored in when wondering at it's membership in the coalition of the badgered, brow-beaten, blackmailed willing. see Trade negotiators begin writing 'piece of history' - "The United States and Australia have completed the first round of talks on a bilateral free trade treaty. Negotiators from both sides say a week of talks in Canberra made a solid start on the outline of a comprehensive agreement. Australia says the ambitious but achievable aim is to finalise a free trade treaty with America in the first half of next year"
Not unrelated is this little gem: Defence review raises issue of missile defence - "Australia's long awaited defence strategic review which has been released would commit Australia to America's missile defence system."
It turns out that Canada wasn't the only country to have been scolded by it's US ambassador: Opposition leader and US ambassador resolve differences - "The relationship broke down when in an interview in the Bulletin Magazine, [the US ambassador, Tom Schieffer], accused [Leader of the Official Opposition Simon] Crean of fostering ''rank appeal to anti-Americanism, to anti-George Bush feeling''".
