From the ABC …. 

IR changes hit Howard's standing

A new opinion poll shows a drop
in voter support for Prime Minister John Howard, following the start of
his Government's new industrial relations changes. 

From 4 Corners .….

FELICITY JOHNSTON, UNITED NATION OFFICE [customs enforcement]
OF THE IRAQ PROGRAMME (1999-2003):  

“It is true to say that it was
not their responsibility to carry out the pricing review. That said,
my sympathy only extends so far because every nation has
a responsibility, absolutely, under resolution 661, to ensure that
its nationals comply with the terms of that resolution. 

‘It’s been three years since the U.S. launched its war
against Saddam Hussein and his weapons of mass destruction. Of course now
almost everybody knows there were no WMDs, and Saddam Hussein posed no threat
to the United States. 

Though some of our soldiers
serving in Iraq still believe they are there because Saddam Hussein was
involved in 9/11, even the administration now acknowledges there was no
connection. Indeed, no one can be absolutely certain why we invaded Iraq. The
current excuse, also given for staying in Iraq, is to make it a democratic
state, friendly to the United States. 

The Prime Minister of Australia has been requested to give a written statement to a Royal Commission.  He will be answering questions regarding possible negligence and corruption within his own Department.

Mr Howard's announcement follows the advance printing of an incriminating broadcast scheduled to be televised on the ABC tonight.  The UN Oil-For-Food program's Customs Officer says national governments are responsible for any bribes sent to Saddam.

Mr Howard has said in a media conference this morning that he will appear personally before the Cole Inquiry if requested to do so.

Selected quotes
from an
Interview: Iraqi blogger Riverbend

By Firas Al-Atraqchi

Sunday 09 April 2006, 11:41 Makka Time, 8:41 GMT

Riverbend's blog Baghdad Burning began to make waves in late 2003 and quickly became one of the most read Iraqi blogs. She offered an Iraqi woman's perspective on the US invasion and the first months after the fall of Baghdad.

Since then, her blog has been adapted into book form by UK-based publishers Marion Boyars and New York-based Feminist Press.

In March 2005, the blog was adapted into a play by a New York-based theatre production company.

The administration of President George W. Bush
is planning a massive bombing campaign against Iran, including use of
bunker-buster nuclear bombs to destroy a key Iranian suspected nuclear weapons
facility, The New Yorker magazine has reported in its April 17 issue. 

‘As Morpheus explained: “The
Matrix is a system Neo, and that system is our enemy. When you are inside, you
look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters, the
very minds we are trying to save. Until we do, these people are part of that
system and that makes them our enemies. 

You have to understand that most
of these people are not ready to be unplugged and many are so hopelessly
dependent on the system, they'll fight to protect it.”’ 

 
‘From the beginning, there were
ominous signs that the Iraqis weren't going to play the game right. More than a
few neo-con hearts were broken by the Iraqi refusal to greet us with flowers
and champagne as we marched into Baghdad, and the snub still hurts. Just this
week, Daniel Pipes, president of the Middle East Forum and an unrepentant hawk,
complained about "the ingratitude of the Iraqis for the extraordinary favour
we gave them: to release them from the bondage of Saddam Hussein's
tyranny." 

From today’s SMH
Letters page …… 

In the firing line

Apart from cameras that should always be working, one of the key airport
security measures is to check for gunpowder residue on selected travellers. A
few days ago airport security guards stopped me for a check even though I had
not fired a gun for 40 years, but the Irish clay pigeon shooting team was
allowed to pass. 

From American Progress …..
American
Progress 

The US Withdraws Support From UN Human Rights
Council  

In 1946, under the leadership of Eleanor
Roosevelt, the United States led the way in creating the first U.N. human
rights commission.  

It's a horrible question to ask, but upon hearing that Messrs Downer and Vaille are to testify at the AWB Commission next week, and on rereading Haifa Zangwana's piece on the assasinations of academics ( currently on page 3 of Webiary home page) I was struck by one of those horrible trains of thought.

Kays Juma was a Professor of Agriculture in Iraq. He would have had a detailed knowledge of the status quo of agriculture-based aid activities in Iraq, and the fact he was also an Adelaide-resident probably would have motivated him to be aware of details such as the differences in Ausaid and USaid agriculture programs and the methodology of their implementation. As an academic he would have been privy to more information than would have been supplied to the CPA.

For the first time an Australian minister of the Bush Administration will face a true battle- telling the public what he wants to without being forced to resign.

Trade Minister Mark Vaille will appear befor the Australian Wheat Board Inquiry on Monday, and Foreign Minister Downer on Tuesday. They will be speaking on the issue in an environment in which our society considers lack of honesty to be the greatest taboo- A sworn oath.

ABC reports that the inquiry wishes to question Mr Downer on diplomatic cables sent by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to the Office of the Prime Minister of Australia. The cables raised the department's concern over involvement in the Austalian Wheat Board's bribes to Saddam Hussein.