(Australia) Focus on Howard's lies, not the polls: Crean

[GregW]

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/09/16/1063625006313.html

Opposition leader Simon Crean said today that the public should pay less attention to approval ratings and focus upon John Howard's deception over the war in Iraq.

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Mr Crean said he would continue to highlight Prime Minister John Howard's lack of credibility on the Iraq War.

It has been revealed that a British Joint Intelligence Committee report before the war said an invasion of Iraq could increase the chances of terrorist attacks against the west.

Mr Howard said yesterday the report was only one piece of intelligence, and although there may be an increased risk of terrorism in the short-term, the toppling of Saddam Hussein would reduce the longer-term risks of terrorism.

<...>

Mr Crean said Mr Howard had simply ignored the advice in the report that the Iraq war would increase the chance of terrorist attacks.

"He ignored damning evidence to the contrary, he continued to make speeches asserting what this report refuted and he sent our troops to war based on a lie," he said.

"The prime minister's credibility is in tatters."


Oh no! Opposition with a backbone! Gimme some of dat, pronto!