Saturday 20th of April 2024
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our special relationship .....

our special relationship .....

 

’I will be pressing the Vice President as strongly as the circumstances allow for the trial to take place without any further delay. Now we are very unhappy that it's taken this long, some of the delay has not been the fault of the Administration, but a lot of it, frankly, has been the process within the Pentagon and the Defense Department in the United States.

Australians want him brought to trial and the truth or otherwise of the allegations, which are very serious allegations, tested before the Military Commission, that's what they want and that's what we want. He wasn't in Afghanistan on some kind of backpacking frolic. I mean let's get that out of the way. These are very serious allegations and they should be tested, but it's taken too long and I'll be making that point, as forcefully, as the circumstances allow when I see the Vice President.’

bush rattus

Rotting at his Majesty's pleasure

From the ABC

PM pushes US President for action on Hicks

Prime Minister John Howard says he told the US President this morning there should be no more significant delays in the process of bringing David Hicks to trial.

Mr Howard says Mr Bush rang this morning for a lengthy discussion about North Korea.

The Prime Minister says Mr Bush acknowledged that there is an intense feeling in Australia that it has taken too long to bring Hicks to trial.

"Well his assurance was - and it was a very direct assurance - that he would again reinforce to the authorities in the United States the need for the matter to be dealt with with all possible expedition," Mr Howard said.

"And I left him in no doubt during our discussion that this was an issue of great concern to the Australian people."

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Gus: Ah... polls polls polls, everything is vanity's polls... After having left Hicks rot in jail for more than five years, our porkyist in chief is keen to "push US President for action" — not unlike pushing for an expeditious expedition of hicks to the other side of the universe...

But it is of great concern to the "Australian people" — our rodent couldn't care less — and the polls are showing stormy signs on the horizon... so things, like a bit of hanging, needs to be done...

And the president rang this morning about North Cholera... Clickerdyheels!!

 

Backpedalling fast under polls-strain

From our ABC

Government considering bringing Hicks home

The Federal Government has admitted it is considering other options in relation to David Hicks, including bringing him home to Australia.

Prime Minister John Howard says he again raised the issue of David Hicks's five-year imprisonment at Guantanamo Bay with US President George W Bush today.

Mr Howard says Mr Bush assured him that he would do everything he could to ensure a speedy trial.

"I said that there was intense feeling in Australia, that it had taken far too long, he acknowledged that, he understood that," Mr Howard said.

But a trial date is still to be set and the federal Attorney-General, Phillip Ruddock, has told SBS's Insight program the Government is looking at other options, including bringing the 31-year-old home.

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Gus: It's off to polls we go...  Hicks' no commitment, climate change's hot air, not much more so far from his Majesty's kingdom... Bush's grip on our rodent's tail is still very strong. And Thurday  the VP Missaquail is comin'...