In March 2004, Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty came under fire from Government ministers for daring to claim Australia’s role in Iraq would increase the terrorist threat to Australia.
At the time, Keelty was muzzled in no uncertain terms by the PM’s Office. His comments were effectively disowned by the Foreign Minister, the Attorney General and the Chief of Australia’s Defence Forces.
Soon the Director-General of ASIO, Dennis Richardson felt the political pressure and announced that Spain’s support for the Iraq war wasn’t related to bombings in Madrid. The soon-to-be-elected Spanish government did not agree, and almost immediately withdrew all its troops from Iraq.
Now a newly released US national intelligence estimates report confirms Mr Keelty’s assessment. American intelligence officials have effectively confirmed Keelty’s warnings, and our politicians continue to expose us to increased risks of terrorist attack.
The government’s response has been to rabbit on about values and non-integrated Muslims allegedly posing a security threat. Yet now, with AWB documents showing executives and managers joking about Saddam’s genocide against Kurds (and ministers who knew or should have known this to be the case), Australia will definitely be within the radar of Kurdish and other groups.
Keelty was right all along. But don’t expect Howard and Downer to admit it.
Words © 2006 Irfan Yusuf
16 comments:
I agree with these remarks. Australia is making a big mistake in getting involved militarily with the Middle East situation.
Of course terrorism is a different situation as it involves Australians. there are NO grounds for any Australian citizen to take violent action against fellow Australians. None.
The behaviour of AWB will be dealt with by the courts. No Australians need involve themselves in this matter outside that court. This is an Australian value for those readers who (falsely) profess to be be unable to discern what are 'Australian values'.
Australian value#78...political anger is expressed through the ballot box, not suicide bombing.
The best western policy toward trouble in the middle east is one of 'containment'. That and the application of 'soft power' to culturally influence the development of the middle east people away from dead end ideas which do not improve their standard of living.
It would also be very useful to deal honestly with the current outstanding problems which are rocks on the road forward.
Mike Davis
Whoops! I thought I was reading that bitter and twisted, washed up old bastard, Alan Ramsey!
why am I the only person who writes on this site who is willing to identify himself?
Aussie value#24..have the courage of your convictions and stand by them in public.
mike davis.
It is just a pity not one Muslim was killed.
Quite appropriate timing on the anniversary of the second Bali slaughter aimed at killing white people.
If those at this mosque haven't got the message yet, that is their problem.
Australians want MUSLIMS OUT!
The drive by shooting happened on the aniversary of the last Bali bombing.
I have always been pleased at the calm and mature way Australians in Perth reacted to the loss of life in Bali.
Kelty must be congratulated on his comments last month in relation to dealing with the Islamic community.
These are the positive aspects of our society that overwhelm the stupidity of a few.
Anon 5.15pm
Australians want foot up your ass.
the people who did the drive by shooting should go to jail. This is Australia, not Pakistan or California.
any muslim who is unhappy here..'Australians want foot up your ass'.. can always leave. While I personally do not mind muslims in australia, it is true that most Australians do not want muslims here. They are seen as too much trouble..for no return on the investment of having them here. Whether local muslims agree or not, Islam is widely seen by ordinary Australians as backward and primitive...suitable for arabs but not for modern poeople. Ask yourself a simple question...
if the Liberal Party ran in an election on the question 'No More Muslim Migration To Australia'...would they win in a landslide?
All this is a great pity, but it is a big challenge for muslims to integrate more and conform to Australian norms. I know that this sort of remark depresses many muslims, because they do not know what more they can do. The remark also depresses me because I do not know how the muslims will improve their situation without further integration.
Maybe if the muslims stopped wearing their political uniforms (pretended to be required by God)and adopt a much lower profile (no more demos with foreign flags and issues). Would this help?
the muslim imams are the main cause of the trouble for the local muslims. Local muslims should realise this fact and start putting their own interests ahead of the (islamic imperialist)interests of foreign imams. These wahhabi paid agents are 'geeing' elements of the local muslim communities and all the muslims are paying the price.
Step 1...kick out the foreign imams and crush the wahhabi/salafist element among you.
mike davis
mike, i'd go further. i think Muslims should shun any fringe overseas group. as far as i'm concerned, they're all as bad as each other.
this has to be done by muslims themselves. the govt cannot do it.
the salafists are as bad as the habashites. both are fringe groups who are regarded as fruitcakes in their own countries, so they come and pollute our shores.
christians also have a problem. christianity has its wierdos and wacky types. one could argue catholics have dual loyalties, though i don't regard catholicism as a fringe sect.
but christians do have the Exclusive Brethren. these people have to be stopped.
but it's a bit hard to stop them when they have the PM and Costello defending them. i guess integration is a one-way street!
you are perfectly correct about the Bretheren; loonies without a single christian voice to support them outside their own group.
muslim fringe groups do not have the same isolation..salfist/wahhabis are the official set up in Arabia; Habashis are strongly supported by Syria. Bretheren have no christian support in the wider community.
Howard/Costello support them for money. As they are Liberals that is the only thing that matters to them.
Christians are not the problem in Australia. Unintegrated muslims are a problem because so many Australians are so negative toward them. The minority always has to make the greater effort to fit in...this is the fact in every society in every age.
I am pleased to see a muslim admit that the salafist/wahhabis are the root cause of the local trouble. Australians will settle for muslims being here if the 'trouble' can be made to go away.
You are right in your statement that only muslims can solve this problem. Start complaining to members of parliament, liberal and labor, state and federal, about the salafist/wahhabis. Start complaining and don't stop. Go and see them in their offices...go and see all of them, one after another.
Members of parliament talk to each other about the complaints of their constituents. Start complaining and in about 6 months you will see some action.
only muslims can do this.
get going, my man!!
mike davis
yes.I have no interest in the colour of a person's skin. The Africa-born footballer Wendell Sailor is certainly an Australian. As will be the little pre-school sudanese boy I saw last week on the train with his mother. (I hope he turns out to be a runner who can get into our..and his.. Olympic Team in 2024)
It is not racism that is the problem for muslims in Australia. You are putting off the day of decision if you keep telling yourself that the problem is racism..(therefore is NOT YOUR FAULT)..the problem is how to integrate muslims properly into Australia.
Develop an Australian Islam.
Australians WILL accept an Australian Islam...we WON'T accept foreigners living among us,staying as foreigners.
The door is open, as it has been open to other migrants who were/are willing to join us properly. All you need do is walk through.
Mike Davis
Decision day? For what? For a Spanish syle inquisition followed by mass expulsion? For the next Western genocide? For Muslims to become the next Aborigines? Do tell.
'decision day'is for each muslim in australia to decide that he/she is going to build his/her life here and be a real part of this nation state. that is all.
No inquisition..although as the Moors lost the battle in spain what exactly do you suggest should have happened to them? Where are now the Jews and Christians who were living in Arabia in 11 AH? What is the difference between 1492AD and 11AH?
Have you noticed that it is invariable in discussions like these for one party to always rush back to the far distant past, rather than concentrate on the real current problems facing muslims in 2006/1427? Why is this?
Is there any prospect of an end to 'Shufooni'???
(I do not think a person whose co-religionists are busy in Darfur should be raising any examples of genocide and aborigines...you are silent on the Muslim arab slaughters in Darfur. Why? Are you waiting for the imams of Australia to condemn the Islamic Government of Sudan?)
To return...muslims who keep putting off the day of decision to really enter into the 'Australian tribe'can hardly expect to be welcomed by the australians. Other migrants have committed to this tribe. What is the problem?
To be an australian is not just to be living here with a bit of paper. It means to commit yourself to the tribe...while muslims (a minority of whom I suspect)continue to thrash around blaming 'racism' and everything else under the sun for their difficulties, those difficulties will remain.
Look inward for the source of the problems and inward for the solutions. Simple, really.
Mike Davis
Mike,
Are you seriously waiting for me, someone who has lived here since 1970 when i first arrived at age 5 months, to enter the aussie tribe?
Are you kidding?
Mate, you and your Catholic co-religionists were getting bashed up when i was in grade 3. The kids who bashed you up for being Catholic were the same kids who bashed me up for being brown-skinned.
Mate, Muslims don't have a pontiff sitting on a golden throne in Rome telling me what to do. I don't even recognise the authority of the mufti of australia. And you are telling me to join the Australian tribe?
This is white trash hubris at its worst. Catholics, of all people, even the luke-warm ones, should have more empathy toward Muslims.
And what makes you think i haven't done anything for the people of Darfur? Do i say and write things to please your royal highness?
Seriously, mike, you should consider keeping your head plonked in the Cronulla sands. If these comments reflect your real attitude to Australia, you should learn to integrate.
I went to school here. I went to uni here. I work here. I have a business here. I pay taxes here. I own property here. What more do you expect me to do? Swear allegience to a foreign priest? Or to the President of a foreign country?
Good one Law Student,takes all kinds ifran,when you live in a country thats run by a man who has been elected by playing the racist card,invaded another country for no reason than to suck up to Bush,lets an Australian citizen rot in a US so called jail,cause he is to frightened to ask the yanks to let him go.
Most Aussies are scarded stiff of anything they dont understand and this little peanut plays on it backed up by one of the major newspapers,mind you I think Murdock will be long dead before oil hits $20 a barrel,its just the way it is the country has been lied to and had the shit scared out of it frightened people believe anything
Law Student why don't you just sell kebabs or heroin like the lebs? Do we need another lawyer to help muslim criminals to stay out of jail? Get rid of all the muslims and we wouldn't need half the lawyer scum. Get rid of the jews as well and we'd finally be free of all lawyers. Irf can stay. In the baboon cage at the zoo.
Law Student,
I didn't know there were articled clerkships in ambulance chasing and inciting racial hatred.
Perehaps you need a crash course in waking up to yourself.
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