Posted on 10/22/2003 6:59:04 PM PDT by Mark Felton
THE anti-war Greens Senator Bob Brown has been thrown out of Federal Parliament for shouting over the US President five minutes into his historic address.
The Bushes and the Howards exit Air Force One last night. Mr Brown started groaning as George W. Bush told assembled politicians that no one who cared about human rights in the Middle East could mourn the ousting of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
He was joined by a handful of other MPs and Senators as they interrupted the President's speech. Andrew Neil, the Speaker of the House, immediately had the sergeant-at-arms remove Mr Brown.
Mr Bush was forced to stop his address and took a drink of water before proceeding with his speech.
The protest came despite Labor leader Simon Crean pledging support to the Australia-US alliance, which he called a "partnership of peoples" in remarks prefacing Mr Bush's address.
In his speech, Mr Bush called Prime Minister John Howard a man of exceptional courage.
He said Mr Howard exemplified the qualities of one of the world's greatest democracies.
"Prime Minister John Howard is a leader of exceptional courage, who exemplifies the finest qualities of one of the world's greatest democracies," he said.
Mr Bush paid tribute to Australia and Australians for their contribution to the war against terror, and to previous wars.
"Australians are fair-minded and tolerant and easy-going," he said.
"Yet in times of trouble and danger, Australians are the first to step forward, to accept hard duties and to fight bravely until the fighting is done.
"In a hundred years' experience, American soldiers have come to know the courage and good fellowship of the diggers at their side.
"We were together in the battle at Hamel, together in the Coral Sea, together in New Guinea, on the Korean Peninsula, in Vietnam.
"And in the war on terror, once again, we are at each other's side."
Mr Bush said Americans had seen first hand the work of terrorists in the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington.
Australians had seen the impact of terror in the Bali attack on October 12 last year.
Mr Bush said terrorists would not respond to negotiations.
"The nature of the terrorist threat defines the strategy we are using to fight it," he said.
"These committed killers will not be stopped by negotiations.
"They will not respond to reason. The terrorists cannot be appeased – they must be found, they must be fought and they must be defeated."
Mr Bush said Australia, the US and other allies had driven terrorists from Afghanistan.
He said terrorists hoped to gain chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.
The war against Iraq was aimed at stopping weapons of mass destruction falling into the hands of terrorists.
"So we are confronting outlaw regimes that aid terrorists, that pursue weapons of mass destruction, and defy the demands of the world," he said.
"America, Australia and other nations acted in Iraq to remove a grave and gathering danger, instead of wishing and waiting while tragedy drew closer."
"Prime Minister John Howard is a leader of exceptional courage, who exemplifies the finest qualities of one of the world's greatest democracies," he said.
Could you give us that one more time just in case we missed it?
The only Green who didn't get kicked out was Mr.Michael Organ... imagine "The Organ will be removed"
I am curious what the Aussies were saying all together so many times, instead of applauding. Was it, "Hear, hear"? It didn't sound like "hear, hear."
Super moment for America and Bush!
Magnificent home run of a speech! Bravo!
Yeh, some Russian intelligencia complained about the lack of class on the part of the Bolshevicks...
This guy is Green! What do you expect from people that, in essence, adhere to "any means" approach to life?
I really liked the part where he said "Freedom is not for the elite (emphesis mine) few, it's the right of all humanity"
Very powerful
I'm curious whether Senator Brown mourns the ousting of SH or that he was ousted by American military power.
I'd think almost anybody, even a Green, would find it difficult to regret SH not being in power anymore.
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