‘Here is the great discovery of the little man who doesn’t read. America is not the land of the free, nor of the brave, nor of the politically sentient. Nor is it a country of laws or of principles. It is a country of those who just do as they want. A president can do anything he chooses. Who will tell him no? Nobody has.

Today there is speculation as to whether he will make war, perhaps nuclear war, on Iran. The universal assumption seems to be that if he wants to, he will just do it. The legislature, already having given up its authority to declare war, seems to regard the military as the private guard of the president. Is it not interesting that one dim, pugnacious, ignorant little man can bring on nuclear war all by himself?

75 per cent of Iraqis resent the presence of the coalition troops.......

from our lovely ABC .....

US report 'devastates' Howard's credibility

The Federal Opposition says the release of a United States intelligence report torpedoes the Prime Minister's reasons for going to war in Iraq.

The White House has declassified parts of a leaked intelligence report that undermines its claims that America is safer since the war in Iraq.

from a New York Post exclusive .....

RICE BOILS OVER AT BUBBA
RIPS 'FLATLY FALSE' CLAIM ON BUSH'S BID TO GET BIN LADEN

By IAN BISHOP Post Correspondent

September 25, 2006 - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice yesterday accused Bill Clinton of making "flatly false" claims that the Bush administration didn't lift a finger to stop terrorism before the 9/11 attacks.

from our ABC .....

Howard plays down water ministry speculation

Prime Minister John Howard is playing down claims that he wants to create a new federal ministry for water http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200609/s1748823.htm|playingdownclaims

Parliamentary Secretary Malcolm Turnbull will take charge of the new Office of Water Resources in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. 

from the Sydney Morning Herald ….

Not content with a review of television and junk food advertising guidelines, Christian groups and children's advocates are calling for an overhaul of children's film content as well as R-rated material.

Questions about the content of Finding Nemo and the Cat in the Hat and R-rated movies have prompted the Australian Christian Lobby to approach every state government in an attempt to put film classification guidelines on the agenda when the attorneys-general meet in March.

from our ABC .....

Ruddock to raise Hicks case with US counterpart

The Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock, says he will raise the David Hicks case with his United States counterpart during meetings this week.

Mr Ruddock says he will meet the US Attorney-General Alberto Gonzales for discussions on national security, but he will also follow up on recent phone conversations about Hicks.

from our ABC .....

Trujillo rejects Govt's Telstra board nomination 

Telstra's chief executive Sol Trujillo says the board cannot support the Federal Government's nominee for a director's position because investigations are yet to establish his integrity and independence.

etc.

From our ABC .....

Downer challenges UN to follow Australia’s example

Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer has spoken of the importance of rebuilding Afghanistan and Australia's work in stabilising East Timor and the Solomon Islands in an address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

He says the work undertaken by Australia contrasts with the UN's failures in the Sudanese region of Darfur.