Citing the need to learn "the hard lessons," 30 leading Australian politicians and former defence chiefs are demanding an independent investigation into their country's participation, with 2,000 troops, in the US-led invasion of Iraq. In a foreword to the statement, "Why did we go to war in Iraq? A call for an Australian inquiry," they write that an inquiry would "strengthen the governmental structures against precipitous or ill-considered actions in future" - something that this country, inexplicably, has failed to do.

"In retrospect what we now see were frantic efforts to create the prerequisites by manipulating intelligence assessments to fit the case, with all the sophistication that task required."

http://www.commondreams.org/further/2012/08/16-0

Malcolm Fraser in the Guardian!!!

Yes even our "friends" down under are waking up.

You have fallen for a political tactic.

Smith dismisses call for Iraq War inquiry

Former prime minister Malcolm Fraser is among a group of eminent Australians who are calling for an inquiry into the Iraq War, but Defence Minister Stephen Smith says there is no need to reinvestigate the issue.

The group - which also includes former defence secretary Paul Barratt - says there must be an independent inquiry into how Australia became involved in the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Mr Fraser said today that going to war was a ''really serious matter'' and that people knew that evidence used before the war about weapons of mass destruction was fabricated.

''We know the war was begun on the basis of a lie,'' Mr Fraser told ABC TV.


Former prime minister John Howard sent Australians troops to Iraq in March 2003. As part of an election commitment Kevin Rudd withdrew Australian combat troops in 2008.

Today Mr Smith said an inquiry was not warranted.

He said there had already been several inquiries into the war and that lessons had already been learnt. ''You always learn lessons from a former or previous conflict,'' he told ABC TV.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard also told reporters in Canberra today that she did not think the proposed inquiry was a good idea.

Mr Smith hit out at Mr Fraser, who was minister for army during the Vietnam War.

''With the greatest of respect to Malcolm, these days [he is] saying a range of things which I didn't hear him say as minister for army ... or prime minister,'' Mr Smith said.

Mr Smith has been joined by his predecessor, Robert Hill, who was defence minister when Australia troops were sent to Iraq, in dismissing the call for an inquiry.

"There are a lot of big challenges out there in the world today, including challenges of peace and security," he told the National Press Club yesterday.

"For what it's worth, in my humble opinion, it would probably be better for Australia to focus on the issues of today and the issues of tomorrow than to try and re-guess matters of 10 years ago.''

The group of Australians pushing for the inquiry includes independent MP Andrew Wilkie, who blew the whistle on intelligence in the lead-up to the war, and outspoken Labor MP Melissa Parke.

Mr Fraser said today that the prime minister alone should not have the capacity to send Australia to war.

''I think its time that on grave matters of state our Parliament began to be respected,'' he said.


http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/political-news/smith-dismisses-call-for-iraq-war-inquiry-20120816-24a7s.html

If you knew anything about the individuals behind this story and their affiliations, you would see this for the politicking it is.