Thursday, February 17, 2005

Australian senate accused govt of war crimes

Questions.....Defence Minister Robert Hill testifies before a Senate estimates committee

Did you hear the one about David Hicks and Mamdouh Habib having a Barbeque in Afghanistan with Bin Laden? Yeah it was reported on Channel Seven's Sunrise this morning! But they don't know if it was a sheep or a goat, but sources say it was most likely a goat.

So I don't think I love them. So what am I so afraid of? I'm afraid that I'm sure of the lies that there's a cure for.

So why do they lie to you?

The Federal Opposition says it is clear from evidence given to the Senate estimates hearing that the Government wanted to cover-up aspects of Australia's involvement in the illegal and degrading war on Iraq.

I'm sleeping right in the middle of a good dream - when all at once I wake up from something that keeps knocking at my brain - before I go insane, I hold my pillow to my head and spring up in my bed screaming out the words I dread. I know I've been lied to.

So why do they lie to you?

Labor says revelations that up to eight Australians could have 'interviewed' Iraqi prisoners should have been released at the time of the prisoner abuse scandal last year, when Defence Minister Robert Hill was denying Australia ever interrogated prisoners.

This morning I woke up with this feeling - I didn't know how to deal with and so I just decided to myself id write it to the world and always talk about it. And did go and shout it when you walked into the room. So I don't think I love them - so what am I so afraid of? I'm afraid that I'm sure of the lies that there's a cure for.

So why do they lie to you?

The Opposition also says the Government failed to say until this week that defence officials raised concerns about the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners with the United States.

Believe me you really have to worry they're never gonna make you happy and if you say they should go to jail and go away they will. But I think better still we'd better charge them for their crimes. Do you think we have a case? Let me ask you to your face? - So I don't think I love them so what am I so afraid of? I'm afraid that I'm sure of the lies that there's a cure for.

So why do they lie to you?

Labor's defence spokesman Robert McClelland says the Government had a clear motive for keeping quiet.

"We were in an election year, our involvement in the war on Iraq was a highly sensitive political issue," he said.

"The public revulsion in how Iraqi prisoners had been treated was likely, or certainly had the potential, to influence our engagement in Iraq.

"Quite frankly, the Government wanted to cover-up the extent of our involvement."

But the Government has accused Labor of trying to say Australians behaved improperly in Iraq?

Is that what life is made of? Though it worries me to say that I've never felt this way. I don't know what I'm up against. I don't know what it's all about. I got so much to think about.

So I don't think I love them so what am I so afraid of? I'm afraid that I'm sure of the lies that there's a cure for. So why do they lie to you?


So why do they lie to you?
So why do they lie to you?
So why do they lie to you?
So why do they lie to you?


By Gregory Kable & The Partridge Family 17 February 05

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