By Graham Macafee
Canberra, Australia
19 March 2004

Let me see if I've got this right: Some chaps who respect nothing but their own beliefs bomb the capital of Spain, successfully change its government, hundreds of civilians die, and they're called terrorists.

Some chaps who respect nothing but their own beliefs bomb the capital of Iraq, successfully change its government, thousands of civilians die, and they're called war heroes?

But I forgot - the chaps who bombed Iraq (to change its government) didn't mean to kill so many civilians. They just happened to live where the bombs were falling. So what happened is called manslaughter in Australian legal parlance (or a massacre if you prefer) certainly not terrorism or murder.

I'm glad we got that sorted out - it will help students of 'civics' understand why war heroes like Prime Minister Howard are so revered.