Iraq Bad, Howard Warned; Nameless Officials Confirm
Posted by MK on June 2, 2008
By AR – The Scoop Of The Day Award for Unattributed Quotes goes to the Sydney Morning Herald’s Diplomatic Editor Cyntia Banham in SMH who quotes, in order, “one senior official” bagging Howard’s Iraq decision,
“All that was predictable and I don’t think the benefits of the West going in were worth the cost,” said one senior official, who would not be named. “That was my judgment at the time and that hasn’t changed.”
a “second senior official”,
A second senior official said Australia failed in not trying to discourage the US from invading Iraq in March 2003
“the official” (is that the one senior official or the second senior official?),
“Arguably where the Australian Government might have done more is discourage the US from going to war – that might be a point of failure,” the official said.
“one very senior official”,
“There did not appear to be at any time in the lead-up to the involvement in Iraq a serious discussion about the policy consequences of being engaged,” one very senior official said.
and finally “another official” (is that another senior official or another very senior official, because there has not been a plain official quoted and saying “another” indicates a previous mention).
Another official said: “There have been some high costs, not just economic and financial costs, but strategic costs as well to the US. That’s evident so far, but whether 10 years from now those costs are seen to be as great as any of the benefits just depends how it goes.”
Either way it is four (I think … who can tell?) unattributed quotes and unattributed quotes are not worth a pinch of shit. Remember Paul McGeogh used unattributed quotes all the time when he was constantly predicting civil war in Iraq. Interestingly, Cynthia is described as “Diplomatic Editor”? That’s an adjective. Are they referring to her or what she does?
MK said
Yeah i remember Paul McGeogh, what a toss bag, civil war, Paul was simply a half-empty sort of fellow, nothing good could ever come out of Iraq, well at least not whilst Paul was covering it. At one point i remember even the CIA were gunning for Paul and he had to flee Iraq like in one of those cold-war spy novels. Great stuff if it were fiction material.
Looks like Cynthia is also pulling quotes out of her ass, something leftists seem quite fond of. I’m surprised she didn’t mention the Janitors take on it, probably was pro-removing a dictator and lacking nuance so no worth reporting. I wonder if there ever will come a time when lefties can find a way to accept that deposing a mass-murdering tyrant was a good thing, i doubt it.
They can find it in their hearts to forgive that tyrant, they can forgive a serial killer and a murdering pedophile and insist that everyone give them another chance, they’ll fight tooth and nail to save a cop killer and drug pushers but they’ll never forgive America from ending Saddam’s killing fields. Countless thousands have been saved and liberated, something they’ll never forgive.
OldSarg said
Having an Australian smile, accent and trust behind us will be greatly missed. I pray that your soldiers embarrassment is short lived. We may join you soon if Obama is elected.
Angel said
good grief MK..Old Sarg is right!