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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Declan on November 27, 2006, at 14:20:28
John Howard, in Ho Chi Minh City recently, said this:
"I supported our involvement at the time and I don't intend to recant that. I believe that in public life you are accountable for the decisions that you take. I mean, I didn't hold any position of authority then but I supported the reasons for Australia's involvement and nothing has altered my view that at the time on the assessments that were made then I took that view and I took that view properly and I don't intend to indulge this preoccupation that many have in recanting everything that they supported when they were in positions of authority. I think in public life you take a position and I think particularly of the positions I've taken in the time I've been Prime Minister. I have to live up to the consequences of those both now and into the future. And if I develop reservations, well I hope I would have the grace to keep them to myself because I think you take a position and you've got to live by that and be judged by it, and that's my position."Beyond irony, hey? In Ho Chi Minh City.
Posted by Dunder on November 29, 2006, at 4:38:40
In reply to John Howard, posted by Declan on November 27, 2006, at 14:20:28
> John Howard, in Ho Chi Minh City recently, said this:
> "I supported our involvement at the time and I don't intend to recant that. I believe that in public life you are accountable for the decisions that you take. I mean, I didn't hold any position of authority then but I supported the reasons for Australia's involvement and nothing has altered my view that at the time on the assessments that were made then I took that view and I took that view properly and I don't intend to indulge this preoccupation that many have in recanting everything that they supported when they were in positions of authority. I think in public life you take a position and I think particularly of the positions I've taken in the time I've been Prime Minister. I have to live up to the consequences of those both now and into the future. And if I develop reservations, well I hope I would have the grace to keep them to myself because I think you take a position and you've got to live by that and be judged by it, and that's my position."
>
> Beyond irony, hey? In Ho Chi Minh City.Oh! the irony indeed.
My interpretation is that he is basically saying. "Everyone makes mistakes but one must never admit it". I think that politicians in general would earn a great deal more respect and trust if sometimes they were honestly to say "Look, I think I/we made a mistaken judgement on this occasion".
Posted by Declan on November 29, 2006, at 12:55:16
In reply to Re: John Howard » Declan, posted by Dunder on November 29, 2006, at 4:38:40
He was named John Winston Howard after Churchill.
You can imagine Churchill (or Lincoln) saying something magnanimous that acknowledged the tragedy of the situation.
It beats me that the current leadership can attempt to appropriate that legacy, though fortunately no one has taken it seriously.Our Foreign Minister is always talking about 'appeasement'. The Australian Wheat Board paid $300 million to Saddam's regime in bribes and claimed them as a 'business facilitation' tax deduction, so he has been forced back to that old standby of saying the opposition should apologise and (sometimes) wash their mouths out with soap. It sure aint Churchill, but it does sound quaintly Victorian so maybe I shouldn't complain.
Posted by tealady on January 13, 2007, at 16:22:10
In reply to Re: John Howard » Dunder, posted by Declan on November 29, 2006, at 12:55:16
> He was named John Winston Howard after Churchill.
> You can imagine Churchill (or Lincoln) saying something magnanimous that acknowledged the tragedy of the situation.
> It beats me that the current leadership can attempt to appropriate that legacy, though fortunately no one has taken it seriously.
>
> Our Foreign Minister is always talking about 'appeasement'. The Australian Wheat Board paid $300 million to Saddam's regime in bribes and claimed them as a 'business facilitation' tax deduction, so he has been forced back to that old standby of saying the opposition should apologise and (sometimes) wash their mouths out with soap. It sure aint Churchill, but it does sound quaintly Victorian so maybe I shouldn't complain.
>
LOL.. yes it deooes sound quaintly Victorian :)
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