(Australian) Govt seeking no information on civilian toll in Iraq war

[WhiteTara]

http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2005/s1302766.htm

TONY EASTLEY: The Australian Government has admitted it doesn't know how many civilians have died in the Iraq war, and neither it, nor US authorities, are trying to find out.

The Defence Minister and senior intelligence officials came under fire over the issue during their appearance before a Senate Estimates Committee last night.

Labor senators say more should be done by the Howard Government to find out what effect the war has had on Iraqi civilians.

<snip>

KIM LANDERS: While the Americans and Australians count their military casualties, Labor Senator John Faulkner suspects it doesn't suit them to reveal the civilian toll.

...more...

[Djinn]

1. Australian public

doesn't really give a shit. Unfortunately for most Australians this is outta sight outta mind. Even befoer the war started the opposition was amongst the lowest in the western world (not counting US) the whole "easy going" nature of Australians has it's downside.

no-one cares that we lock up refugees (one for 7 years now) create "camps" in pacific nations we bribe, ignore our own citizens in Gitmo, kill people in Iraq.......depressing, very depressing

[UL_Approved]

2. At least some press coverage is getting made about this

How much of the United States MSM is covering this issue? How much of it is being placed under scrutiny by NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, CNN?

[ConcernedCanuk]

5. I finally got curious and looked up "MSM" - LOL

.
.
.

Main Stream Media, is the THIRD definition out of a list of 47

What is INTERESTING, and I find ironically humorous, is the SECOND definition.

Listed right above Main Stream Media, is "Mahavir Spinning Mills Ltd"

So, my sleep deprivated Canuk grey matter came up with the idea

that it would not be inappropriate to dub the US's main strean media as sumpthin like :

Media Spin Machine

:shrug:




(oh, it also is used as an acronym for men seeking men) :bounce:

[UL_Approved]

6. Damn

That is a lot of stuff to take in.

The message, the avatar (where did you get that?), and the Canadian logo stuff.

If Bush gets too much more out of control, I will seriously move to Canada in the near future.

[ConcernedCanuk]

7. "If Bush gets too much more out of control" - - - MORE ???

.
.
.

Ahem

If the car is going over the cliff,

there ain't no MORE out of control!!



The avatar is a just a pic of Lyndie with the leash on the Iraqi, which I cropped and shrank from pix posted here on DU back during the beginning of the Abu Ghraib(sp?) scandal.

You can upload anything for an avatar, as long as it meets the requirements posted in Options(I think) then profile . .

DU's program will "shrink" the image I believe, as long as it's not over 100x100(again, I think) - the actual posted image is 48x48 pixels

[GetTheRightVote]

3. They might scare the American Public out of supporting the war if

they actually knew how many innocent lives were being lost, these people are just sick.

:kick:

[Matilda]

4. John Howard operates on the principle that if you ignore bad news

it will just go away.

And you know what? It does.