John Howard was right. We cannot blame flawed military 'intelligence' or under-resourced agencies for getting things wrong on the presence and potency of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

The blame rests on John Howard's shoulders. And he readily accepts the responsibility for committing Australian defence personnel to an invasion of a sovereign country that was no threat to Australia.

What is most alarming about these events, in our recent history, is just how easy it was for Mr Howard to dance to George W Bush's tune and join this barbaric assault on Iraq. It seems that Australia was committed by John Howard to this invasion, the ongoing conflict, the human tragedy, the environmental destruction, cultural vandalism and financial burden to Australians without needing the consent of the Australian Parliament.

Why was it so easy for our Prime Minister to commit us to a war against a country that did not threaten us?

If the Constitution gives him this power, it's time to be changed. I propose an amendment to curb the potential for abuse of power as follows:

'Commitment of Australian military forces to any actual or potential military action beyond our territorial waters or air space require a vote of at least a three quarters majority of a joint sitting of the Senate and House of Representatives.'

NHJ!(JR): Steve, quite a few NHJ! readers - and MK briefly herself at the end of Chapter 2 (p. 53) - have argued along these lines. Could this specific 'cross-partisan' matter be the kind of definitive democratic SCREAM (at either/both main parties) that is well-suited to a pre-election 'legislative pledge' online petition, the kind that might gain irresistible momentum over the next few months?

Go here if you - or anyone else - feels moved to get the ball rolling...