Howard kicks butt!

A bit dated but worth highlighting. John Howard kicks butt in a serious way when a journalist tries to link the London bombings to Iraq.

National Review Online has the full extract.

In summary, Howard reminds the reporter that:

* The murder of 88 Australians in Bali took place prior to Iraq.
* 911 occurred before Iraq.
* Osama bin Laden had referred to Australia as a target due to Australia’s involvement in liberating the people of East Timor.
* The group claiming responsibility for the London bombing talked about British policy not just in Iraq, but in Afghanistan.
* When diplomat Sergio de Mello was murdered in Iraq, al Qaeda referred specifically to the role that de Mello had carried out in East Timor because he was the United Nations administrator in East Timor.

Howard summarised by saying that allowing foreign policy to be determined by terrorism means it is game over.

I bet there were no more questions of that vein by journalists after that arse kicking.