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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 1 Hansard (19 February) . . Page.. 256 ..

MRS CROSS (continuing):

I have learned from my family that the Greeks had been under the Ottoman Empire for 400 years when they were invaded by the Turks. Although they got their freedom in 1821, MANY heroic people had to sacrifice their lives. Not only were Greek lives lost, but Turkish lives as well.

War is not something I have heard anyone in this place, or indeed people in the community, say they would like to see occur. As Mrs Dunne said earlier, there are those who prefer a pacifist approach. They have that right, because we live in a democratic society. If that is the way they wish to approach it, that is fine. But I have lived in countries like China where one man standing in front of a tank made a difference because he took on the establishment. He took on the government; he made a stand-he was prepared to sacrifice his life for freedom of speech. The whole world then took notice.

No-one can tell me that we can stand by and watch, while atrocities and human rights violations occur, and do nothing. That is what happened with Hitler. the situation there was that France could have gone in and stopped that from happening. We had another situation where the Brits could have affected the rail lines and stopped those trains going to Auschwitz, but it did not happen.

In 20-20 hindsight, from history we learn of our mistakes. We have all made mistakes but, just because mistakes have been made in the past does not mean we have to continue making the same mistakes. Yes, the Americans have made mistakes in the past. Who hasn't? But they learned from them.

This is interesting-I hear this a lot. France, Germany and China do very significant trade with Iraq-funny, that. in fact, China sells fibre-optic cable to the Iraqis. Do you know what they do with it? They use it for communications relating to warfare. France does a lot of business, and so does Germany in-guess what-oil! I think someone mentioned that earlier. It is not just oil-there are other things they do business in. So is it any wonder they are hesitant in taking another position on the war?

Not only that-the current government in Germany was elected on a narrow margin because they promised the Greens in that country that they would be against war of any kind. That is how they won government, albeit they are on a small margin.

People tell me that this is politics-this is about oil. Yes, it is about many things. However, do not assume that the reasons those who are against going into Iraq on what I feel are very sound human rights grounds are anything but political, from all sides. At the end of the day, when we make an assessment, let us look at the atrocities this brutal dictator has committed in his country for decades; let us look at the fact that there have been 17 resolutions passed by the United Nations Security Council, all of which this man has ignored.

Let us look at the fact that we went in there 12 years ago. I have heard people say that the Bush son is finishing the job the father started. What crap! George Bush senior went into Iraq and followed the United Nations Security Council terms of reference to the letter. That is why he did not go into Baghdad. Those of you who do not know the history can go back and read it. He is not going in to finish the job his father started, although, in 20-20 hindsight, I am sure he wished he had gone further. It would have saved us all this!

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