US fails to make case for war

Green Foreign Affairs spokesperson Keith Locke has today condemned Helen Clark for giving credence to US Secretary of State Colin Powell's presentation to the Security Council.

"By saying Powell gave 'pretty good evidence of a pattern of deception' she's actually helping the warmongers in the Bush administration.

"In fact, the US failed yet again to come up with any real proof that Iraq is developing, concealing or intends using weapons of mass destruction," said Mr Locke.

"Colin Powell went to the UN promising to deliver clear evidence of Saddam's weapons programme. He promised the world a smoking gun but in the end he couldn't even produce a leaking water-pistol.

"Instead, the UN was once again regaled with a list of unsubstantiated claims, vague linkages and unauthenticated pictures and audio. It would all be ruled inadmissible in any court of law. The allegations of an al Qaeda connection are particularly absurd.

"And is that it? Is that all the 'proof' the White House believes it needs to justify a massive war on the people of Iraq?"

Keith Locke warns that the American PR machine is now moving into overdrive to swing public opinion enough to allow the governments of its allies and client states to back the war with some illusion of independent action.

"Ms Clark's comments today show she is still bending to US pressure. Today she is also talking of sending in armed troops to clean up after a war. She should stop being fatalistic and become an outspoken advocate for peace as people are increasingly demanding.

"The leaked conversation between our Australian High Commissioner and Australian Foreign Minister Downer is another reason why we should have nothing to do with the American effort in the Gulf.

"Are we also 'not in a position to withdraw' our frigate Te Mana from the Persian Gulf, if a war starts?" Mr Locke asked. "Doesn't this reinforce the Green position that by having a frigate monitoring Iraqi and other Gulf shipping, we are complicit in preparations for a war?"

"Or, like Mr Downer, are there some things our Prime Minister isn't talking about 'publicly?'"

© Scoop Media