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[casi] Australian Senate passes Iraq no confidence motion



Firstly , sorry for not putting anything in the Subject line when I first
posted the article from the abc.net (copied below)
Secondly , I have received another article on this but have been unable  to
verify the story,
does anyone else have any information on this?
Also I have posted Powell's transcript to my web site

Grayham



> quote
> http://www.abc.net.au/news/justin/nat/newsnat-5feb2003-45.htm
>
> Posted: Wed, 5 Feb 2003 13:02 AEDT
>
> Senate passes Iraq no confidence motion
> The Federal Senate has just passed a motion of no confidence in the Prime
> Minister's handling of the growing Iraq crisis.
>
> The vote was carried 34 to 31 with the support of Labor, the Democrats,
the
> Greens and Independent senators.
>
> The Federal Government was also formally censured.
>
> It follows an 11-hour debate over Australia's possible involvement in a
> pre-emptive military strike against Iraq and the forward deployment of
> troops.
>
> Debate is continuing in the House of Representatives.
> end quote
>
>
> Use   www.cafe-uni.com   as your window on the world's news.
> Read the world's view of current events focussing on the Middle East.
> Use the noticeboard to announce your events.

SECOND ARTICLE;

Australian Senate Slaps PM Historic "No Confidence" Vote Over Iraq
CANBERRA, February 5 (News Agencies) - Australian Prime Minister John Howard
suffered a historic defeat Wednesday, February 5, in an unprecedented
no-confidence vote by Australia's Senate over his handling of the Iraq
crisis. The Labor opposition, left wing Greens, Democrats and Independent
senators used their upper house majority to pass the motion by 34 votes to
31, following an emotional, 11-hour debate over the looming conflict,
reported Agence France-Presse (AFP). It was the first time in the 102 year
history of the Australian parliament that the upper house has censured a
serving prime minister with a vote of no confidence. Howard's conservative
Liberal-National government was also censured in the motion, which condemned
its decision to deploy troops to the Gulf without reference to parliament
and contrary to public opinion. Australia and Britain have been the only
countries to join the United States in deploying troops to the Gulf in
preparation for war in Iraq. Labor Senate leader John Faulkner moved the
motion, saying no explanation had been offered to the Australian people for
sending defense personnel to the Middle East. "The prime minister has made a
unilateral decision and sent 2,000 of our defense personnel off to a war
undeclared in the northern hemisphere without any cogent explanation of his
actions," Faulkner said. The motion expressed the Senate's full support and
confidence in Australia's servicemen and women while expressing opposition
to the government's decision to forward deploy them. It declared opposition
to a unilateral military attack on Iraq by the United States, insisted the
disarmament of Iraq proceed under UN authority and expressed total
opposition to any use of nuclear arms. Greens senator Bob Brown said the
censure marked a historic condemnation of the prime minister. "The prime
minister made the decision to deploy 2,000 defense personnel with no
reference to the parliament, without the backing of the Australian people,
without a request from the United Nations. "He stands condemned, censured
and without the confidence of the house of review, the Senate in Australia,"
he said. The debate, in which speakers from both sides vented passionate
feelings on the issue preoccupying Australia, continued Wednesday in the
House of Representatives, in which a government majority ensures it stays in
office. Kiwi Diplomat Rescues Government From Embarrassment A New Zealand
diplomat meanwhile rescued the government from embarrassment by backing its
denial of a report that it knew for months it would be committing troops to
war in Iraq, said AFP. The Nine Network claimed a leaked briefing note
showed Foreign Minister Alexander Downer had told New Zealand High
Commissioner to Australia, Kate Lackey, last October that Australia would
not be able to withdraw troops from any conflict in Iraq even if UN approval
was not forthcoming. Opposition Labor leader Simon Crean immediately leapt
on the report describing it as "damning evidence" of government dishonesty
over the issue of Australian involvement in a U.S.-led attack on Iraq. But
Lackey supported Downer's insistence that his comments had related only to
Australia's contribution to the UN multinational naval interception force in
the Gulf for 10 years. "That was very clear to me," Lackey said. Howard to
visit Bush On February 10 In another development, AFP reported that U.S.
President George W. Bush will discuss Iraq, North Korea, and the war on
terrorism with Australian Prime Minister John Howard at the White House
February 10, a Bush spokesman said Tuesday, February 4. Howard has backed
possible military action against Iraq, and has deployed troops to join U.S.
forces massing in the Gulf and ready for action if U.S. decided to invade
Iraq even without a UN resolution. "Prime Minister John Howard of Australia
has accepted the Presidents invitation to meet on February 10 at the White
House to consult on Iraq, North Korea, and the war on terror," Ari Fleischer
said in a statement.




Use   www.cafe-uni.com   as your window on the world's news.
Read the world's view of current events focussing on the Middle East.
Use the noticeboard to announce your events.






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