Sydney's TV channel TCN 9 reported this afternoon that the first Australian bomb has been dropped. On a "target of opportunity", whatever that means. It was a moving target - perhaps an assassination attempt? Bad times.

Not in my words (but in the better words of other people)

Robin Cook MP, of Britain, has given a brilliant speech, upon resigning in protest of his government's support for a war with Iraq. He seems to have feelings of compassion and responsibility, honesty and common sense, that Blair, Bush et al are lacking right now:
Transcript of the speech of Robin Cook MP to the House of Commons, UK Parliament on 17 March

Plus here's Michael Moore's letter to George W on the eve of war.

Further comment on the PM's legal advice that the war is "legal"

From The Australian, March 20, 2003:

International law expert Professor Gillian Triggs has said that the advice was misleading and simplistic.
678 is specific to restoring peace in Iraq and sovereignty to Kuwait, and cannot be revived.
1441 clearly states that only the Security Council can judge whether a material breach has occurred, not the US.
"The advice is a very facile, very simple and elegant in approach but it is inaccurate and misleading in what it leaves out," she said.
"There was never any intention that any state could determine for itself whether there had been a breach."

Also, prominent QC Chris Maxwell said the advice that previous resolutions were an authorisation for war was absurd.
"The Security Council is the authorisation for war, but the coalition of the willing haven't the guts to ask the council because it will refuse."

Speaking on radio station 2UE today, Mr Howard said people who criticised what he was doing did not have a moral monopoly on hating military conflict.
"Nobody likes war. I mean, I'm a `No War' man too. We all are. Everybody hates war," he said.

Could John Howard really be trying to tell us that his actions are not immoral - because privately he "hates war"? This seems to be what he's saying. Staggeringly hypocritical.

Protesters are claiming that your ACTIONS are immoral John Howard - not your private beliefs. Whether or not you claim to "hate war", your actions have not changed. You have not taken your actions back, or acted differently.

Is it possible to transform warmongering activities into something less immoral, just by stating "I'm a no war man"? Only if you have no conscience and no sense of guilt about harming other people.

Howard has also spoken in condemnation of Greenpeace protesters who chained themselves to his official residence today:

``I just say to people who disagree with me you have a right to protest but you have to understand that the stupidity or otherwise of individual acts of protests will be judged by your fellow Australians accordingly.''

But hang on. Johnnie's forgotten something:

"The prime minister yesterday asked people to protest against him, not against the Australian Defence Force personnel and that's what Greenpeace has done this morning," as Senator Brown told reporters after the protest.

Good point!

There's also a daily candlelight vigil at Sydney Town Hall beginning tomorrow (Wed 19 March), 5 pm each day.

For further information contact the Walk Against the War Coalition office on (Syd) 9267 8122 or Senator Kerry Nettle on (Syd) 9241 6663.

And for everyone, there's a beautiful photo of the "NO WAR" message painted on the Sydney Opera House, with this article at the SMH Online.

John Howard committed Australian troops to war yesterday (Tuesday 18 March 2003).

The war is not legal say Australian constitutional law experts Professor Hilary Charlesworth and Associate Professor Don Rothwell. Existing resolutions only authorised the use of force in the event of a further invasion by Iraq of Kuwait.