MATESHIP

Today President George Bush decided to send another 21500 troops into the Iraqi quagmire. Because he is his mate, Australian PM John Howard blindly supports him. The alternative Howard said 'would be to start making arrangements for a withdrawal'. Well ...'Hello...' that is exactly what the majority of people in the US and Australia believe should happen.

Mateship is a funny thing because it can be both postive - sticking by your mates to achieve a successful outcome, especially when the situation is bleak. Or it can be quite negative - sticking by your mates when the situation is hopeless and continuing is folly. The time can come when mateship is questioning, challenging and offers wise counsel and wise options. Blind following is not mateship.

It looks like the Bush and Howard are not going to 'cut and run'. Rather they will stay on the basis of Iraq taking charge. If the Iraqi leadership fails then they will leave. Then it will be a case of 'cut and blame'. But the real danger is that Bush will turn on Syria and Iran and include them in the blame game. Defeat in Iraq will be everybody's fault but Bush's.

I can't help but think if John Howard had been PM in 1915 would he have acknowledged Australia's defeat at the hands of the Turks at Gallipoli and withdrew or would we have stayed on to accumulate more than the 9000 Aussies killed? The fact is that 'cut and run' was acceptable then because common sense ultimately prevailed, albeit at a heavy and belated price.

Make no mistake George, this has turned into another Vietnam and today's decision will affirm the folly of your 2003 decision to wage this war. The saddest bit is that your pigheadedness in the face of widespread professional, military and community opinion has cost tens of thousands of lives and will continue to do so. History will judge you harshly.