Damn Straight!!!

Howard defends decision to invade Iraq

"Mr Howard told the Lowy Institute in Sydney on Tuesday night the decision was taken in the belief that Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction, based on intelligence at that time."

[---]

"Mr Howard also hit out at claims by some that he led Australia into the 2003 Iraq war on the basis of a lie."

[---]

"Mr Howard said there was a "near universal" belief that Iraq had WMDs, including from former Labor leader Kevin Rudd.

"After the fall of Saddam, and when it became apparent that stockpiles of WMDs had - to me unexpectedly - not been found in Iraq, it was all too easy for certain people to begin claiming that Australia had gone to war based on a lie," Mr Howard said.

"Not only does [that claim] impugn the integrity of the decision-making process at the highest level, but also the professionalism and integrity of intelligence agencies here and elsewhere.

"Some of their key assessments proved to be wrong, but that is a world away from those assessments being the product of deceit and/or political manipulation.

And of course, the lovers of peace were outside demonstrating their commitment:

"The chants of street protesters could be heard faintly inside the city hotel where Mr Howard spoke.

The venue was switched from the nearby Lowy Institute after protestors caused a last-minute venue change."

Emphasis mine throughout.