Terror Paper to Spell Out Risk: PM
A White Paper on Terrorism was being drawn up to improve understanding of the nature of the threat, Prime Minister John Howard said today. His comments came a day after he announced new tough Anti-Terrorism Laws which would allow Police to question suspects for up to 24 hours. The Government also plans to enlarge the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), with the spy agency recruiting an extra 150 staff. more > >
New Laws Target Domestic Terror
Police will gain powers to detain Terror suspects for longer, and Australians who train with Terrorist Organisations will be prevented from profiting from their experience, under new Anti-Terror legislation approved by Federal Cabinet. The proposed new laws will also crack down on people training with Terrorist Organisations by allowing for the prosecution of members of an organisation that has not yet been banned in Australia, if it can be proved to be a Terrorist Organisation. more > >
A Christmas Folly
On Friday, when Mark Latham was facing his first serious problem as leader and it happened to be on a matter of Defence and foreign policy, what did he do? He gagged his foreign affairs and Defence spokesmen. Latham's 'bring the troops home by Christmas' pledge was under assault from Howard's guns and the even bigger one of the US Administration. You would have thought all hands would have been on deck to explain, defend and calm. But Kevin Rudd, normally swarming over anything remotely international, was struck dumb. Chris Evans, who best understands the components of Australia's Gulf contribution, didn't return calls. This was strange, to say the least. Why wouldn't Rudd especially, who knows his brief backwards and has talked extensively on Australia's post-war contribution to Iraq, not be encouraged to be out there with a voice? more > >
Dilemma the Left Must Confront
Let us picture a small, comparatively weak nation, governed by someone who commits any number of atrocious crimes to stay in power. Let us assume that the citizens are incapable of overthrowing her by themselves. Let us assume, too, that all non-violent means have been exhausted, that the dictator shows every sign of living for another 30 years and has children to succeed her. What, if anything, should the people of more powerful nations call on their Governments to do? Some members of the Anti-war movement would say "nothing more", and they would put forward the following arguments to support that position. First, any force with the power to intervene will have interests that extend beyond the liberation of the oppressed. It will use the intervention to further those interests. This was demonstrably the case in Haiti last month, when the US used the restoration of order as a pretext for deposing a disobedient leader. more > >
'Action, Not Words' Needed on Terror
Opposition Leader Mark Latham today said the Government should take firmer action to protect Australia from Terrorist threats instead of drawing up a new Terrorism White Paper. Prime Minister John Howard said this morning the Government was working on the document to analyse the threat and dimension of Terrorism. more > >
Bin Laden's British Payback Target: Heathrow Airport
Osama bin Laden ordered the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks to organise a massive strike on Heathrow Airport to punish Tony Blair for his support of the US, it has been revealed. He told his operations boss, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, to target the world's busiest airport at a meeting in Kabul soon after the attacks on the US, according to interrogation transcripts seen by Britain's Sunday Times. Bin Laden described the British Prime Minister as his "principal enemy". The claims by Mohammed, captured in Pakistan about a year ago, have reportedly been cross-checked with confessions by other al-Qaeda operatives. more > >
400 to Stay in Iraq : Latham's Troop Pledge Backdown
Opposition Leader Mark Latham plans to leave 400 Australian troops involved in the Iraq campaign in the region after Christmas as the Government accused him of running a policy of chaos. Labor has revealed it planned to bring home only 460 of the 850-strong Military contingent in Iraq and Persian Gulf in the first issue of detail on the policy since Mr Latham committed himself to the Christmas timetable earlier in the week. Foreign Minister Alexander Downer jumped on the admission and declared Labor's National Security policy was in a state of total chaos. more > >
Employers Told to Prop Reservists
The private sector needed to support staff serving in Australia's Reserve Defence Forces, the Nation's Defence Chief said. General Peter Cosgrove unveiled a set of leave guidelines for employers of Australia's 22,000 active personnel in the Army, Air Force and Navy Reserves. Reserve components of the Armed Forces would continue to expand with the growing spectre of Terrorism both overseas and domestically. "This increased commitment by our Reservists is going to require an even greater commitment by you," General Cosgrove told a meeting of private sector leaders. more > >
