Cosgrove the peoples' hero?..I don't think so.

Cosgrove had me until he hung Federal Police Commissioner 'out to dry' when he (Cosgrove) did a Pontius Pilate, article follows:Keelty retreats on terrorism remarks


By Cynthia Banham and Freya Petersen
March 17, 2004

 

United in grief . . . mourners observe a three-minute silence outside the Spanish embassy in Canberra yesterday. In Sydney about 500 people converged on Liverpool Street, where they lit a candle in memory of the victims. Photo: Pat Scala


The Australian Federal Police Commissioner, Mick Keelty, has backed away from controversial comments linking the Madrid terrorist bombings to Spain's involvement in the invasion of Iraq, which contradicted the position of the Federal Government.

After three days of criticism from government ministers, and public rebukes from the Prime Minister, John Howard, Mr Keelty last night issued a statement "clarifying" his views, saying his words had been "taken out of context".

While not retracting his comments -which implied Australia might also be at greater risk of terrorism because of its role in Iraq, he echoed views expressed this week by Mr Howard, the Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, and the Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock, that Australia had been a terrorist target since before the attacks in the US on September 11, 2001.

He said terrorism sought to attack Australia's "liberal democratic values" and that this was the case "no matter what our involvement in East Timor, Afghanistan or Iraq".

His statement followed reports that an official from Mr Howard's office had telephoned Mr Keelty on Sunday, shortly after he made the comments in a television interview, to voice his displeasure with the remarks.

The Australian Defence Force chief, General Peter Cosgrove, also

backed the Government's position against Mr Keelty, saying the commissioner was wrong to suggest the ADF's presence in Iraq had increased the risk of an attack in Australia.

He said he had seen "the same intelligence" as Mr Keelty and disagreed with his suggestion the Madrid bombings, if they proved the work of Islamic terrorists, could be linked to Spain's involvement in the Iraq invasion.

"I think we're being attacked by al-Qaeda, [Jemaah Islamiah] and all other terrorists because of who we are and what we are, rather than where we've been or when we've been there."

Mr Howard continued to rebuke Mr Keelty yesterday, saying ASIO's director general, Dennis Richardson, was the person "more than anybody else" who made risk assessments for the Government.



Mick Keelty was humiliated by the Government and Cosgrove behaved like a 'damp squib' and took cover quicker than you could blink leaving poor Keelty to get broadsided.

Oh yes, shock horror, some of us have had the temerity to criticise that hallowed hero Peter Cosgrove.

He squibbed it on Mick Keelty and hung him out to dry, to appease John Howard...weak as piss, as the crunchies say

BigOl64 wrote on Jan 28^th, 2014 at 6:44pm:


Click here.

[Bloody link............gives you one free look.]

Let's see if we get further here.

Click here.

Quote:

red baron wrote on Jan 28^th, 2014 at 7:00pm:



I will agree that howard is a total front bottom and should have been killed at birth, but keelty made his own bed, it's not cosgrove's job to get him out of the sh1t.

When dealing with a peice of sh1t like howard, just say nothing until he is removed from office, keelty didn't need to comment on foreign policy or Australia's combat missions, not his job.

Who cares.....the GG does SFA anyway and should go along with the Monarchy!!!

Jesus how long has this guy been sucking off the tit honestly.  All his working life from what I can gather.  pathetic.

red baron wrote on Jan 28^th, 2014 at 7:14pm:



Keelty expessed a personal opinion, he had no evidence, he just blurted his opinion and you expect cosgrove to save his arse, keelty should learn to keep his mouth shut he is only a cop, forieng policy has bugger all to do with him.


His terroism duties stop at the Aussie beach, the foreign stuff belongs to the spooks at least they tend to keep their mouth shut.

Big Ole 64...I think you demean the role of the Australian Federal Police Commissioner.

He is entitled to respect for his position, just as a General in the Army is entitled to a modicum of respect for his particular role.

Keelty's comments would not have been made 'off the cuff' and would have been backed by intelligence reports.

It defies logic to say he would have made his comments 'off the cuff'.