CriticalMass,
the problem with vacuous rhetoric, flippancy and hyperbole is that whilst they all look good on paper, and can generate a reaction, they dont stand up to analysis.
The publicity-seeking Senator Sport-Destroyer is a minor abberration in the seamless robe of Australian politics...She has nothing to contribute to this issue. As far as I have seen she has little of substance to contribute to most issues.
The fact is that Oz politics is not homogenous or seamless, but pluralist (thats the whole idea. ie no one party state). NSD is an elected senator and leader of the Australian Democrats. To disregard the influence and contribution of independents and smaller parties, especially in the senate context, is a gross misrepresentation of Oz political process. In any event she is hardly a minor aberration.
Further, to suggest that an independent opinion in such a democracy is somehow treason would be laughable if it were not so offensive.
The conscription angle is a furphy as it is entirely irrelevant to modern warfare and the grave situation at hand.
If it helps you to understand my position on this matter, I have a strong personal connection to the ADF, although I am not nor have I ever been a serving member. My support and empathy for all ADF personnel is absolute and unconditional.
I make no excuses and would have no mercy for bin Laden. The case against him is compelling. His crimes are atrocious.
However I dont support this particular expedient
political decision nor the process used by Howard (on the eve of a federal election). As Prime Minister he is not obliged to debate this issue, however without adequate debate the spirit of democracy (IMHO)is subverted.
Howard gave Bush carte blanche to do what he wishes with Oz personnel right from the word go. The US military behemoth is in no way dependant on our military contribution to achieve US mission objectives.
We are one of only three countries worldwide besides the US who have committed troops. Presumably that puts us toward the top of the terror target list.
We have 200 million moslems to our immediate north and plummeting relations b/w Canberra and Jakarta. Clearly, despite Bush's exhortations that this war is not against islam, many moslems around the globe do not share this view.
At the end of the day bin Laden was funded, trained and armed in significant part by the US in order to meet US foreign policy objectives in Afganistan.
His campaign of terror is reactive to his perception (justified or not) of US foreign policy as pervasive and unjust.
The burden of responsibility to sort this out belongs elsewhere.