It seems we have learnt nothing.
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John Howard took us to a disastrous war in Iraq in 2003 on an incorrect claim that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, and even now he can only admit to feeling embarrassed about it (Lawrie Martin, Daily Advertiser, September 26), rather than having the decency to apologise for the needless deaths he caused.
Now we are reaping the consequences, as Iraq exhibits all the characteristics of a failed state, and IS rampages murderously across both Syria and Iraq.
And so we have a new “coalition of the willing” to stop IS’s barbarous activities, and I hope to goodness it is successful.
But sadly once again we see governments keen to address the symptoms, but unfortunately, as usual, they do nothing to address the causes.
They have learnt nothing from history, so though impressively statesmanlike Captain Abbott was at the UN Security Council meeting last week, he was way off the mark in terms of contributing to a long term solution.
Which brings to mind his carefully organised absence from the UN’s climate summit, which he just happened to miss by just a few hours (Mark Kenny, SMH, September 26) in a week when hundreds of thousands of Australians marched for meaningful policies on climate change.
He was one of the few world leaders not to attend, and it was left to Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to trot out our government’s lamentable ‘direct action’ policy.
As Greens leader Christine Milne noted “New figures released today will deepen Australia’s embarrassment at the UN Climate Summit, confirming the Abbott government has proudly dismantled a policy that was working to bring down pollution.
“Since the carbon price was repealed, emissions from the electricity sector have gone way up. It’s clear to see Tony Abbott has turned the tide in the wrong direction” said Senator Milne. (media release, September 25)
But missing a crucial UN Climate Change meeting wasn’t the government’s gravest sin last week, for Immigration Minister Scott Morrison tabled legislation in parliament on Thursday, which will reintroduce temporary protection visas.
This legislation will also include the creation of a new visa type, Safe Haven Enterprise Visa, which is also temporary and will offer similar support as temporary protection visas.
The measures are expected to pass the Senate with support of the Palmer United Party. Clearly Clive Palmer has reneged on his election campaign rhetoric in support of a fair go for refugees.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young slammed the bill's move away from the UN Refugee Convention, saying it will leave asylum seekers in "permanent limbo".
"It's a shocking piece of legislation," she said.
"The Greens will do everything they can to oppose it.” (SBS, 26 September).