THE TRUTH HURTS:

Downer under fire (CRAIG CLARKE, 27jul04, The Advertiser)

DIPLOMATIC rift has opened, after Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer blamed terror threats against Australia on the withdrawal of Spanish and Filipino forces from Iraq.

The Philippines yesterday slammed Mr Downer as "narrow-minded", while the Spanish Government has branded his remarks as "totally unacceptable".

Mr Downer stood by his comments and said Australia would not withdraw its troops, even to spare the life of a kidnapped Australian.

The international spat was sparked by threats from Islamic terrorists to use car bombs to attack Australia unless it withdraws troops from Iraq.

ASIO was still trying to verify the threats, posted on the Internet by the Tawhid Islamic Group, which claims links with al-Qaida.

Mr Downer said the withdrawal of Spain and the Philippines from the US-led coalition had encouraged more kidnappings in Iraq.

Don Rumsfeld put this nicely in his press conference last week: "Weakness is provocative."

Posted by Orrin Judd at July 26, 2004 11:44 AM