IN what has been described as a tragic “accident” our army has scored an own goal in the match against the Iraqis.

Finally Australia feels that it has got one on the scoreboard. The maudlin television footage showing the honour guard and the flag-wrapped coffin, gave the impression that we would have been much prouder to have been able to fill the hold of a C130 with rows of coffins just like the big boys.
However, unlike the US Marines, we seem to be a bit careless about bringing back our dead. On Anzac Day, hardly had Lawrence Binyon’s poetic words “Lest we forget” faded, than the unfortunate Private Kovco’s casket is lost at Kuwait airport.

At first it was thought that his body may have been sent to Bosnia and the casket that arrived back in Australia was purported to contain the body of Bosnian. Talk about “The Unknown Soldier”.  As it turned out Private Kovco’s coffin was still in Kuwait
The circumstances surrounding the Australian soldier’s death were highly suspect from the start. Initial reports that he killed himself while cleaning a weapon, hardly demonstrated the high level of training in our defence forces and should have immediately set off alarm bells.
Defence Minister Brendan Nelson told Macquarie Radio, “He wasn’t in fact cleaning his weapon. It was near him in his vicinity and he made some kind of movement, which suggests that it discharged.”
“Some kind of movement, which suggests that it discharged”? is nothing more than the usual suspect politicospeak from a minister backed into a a very tight corner. In these tragic circumstances one can only feel sympathy for Private Kovco’s family, but how long are our masters going to be allowed to get away with this?
Of an investigation of the circumstances surrounding Private Kovco’s death, Dr Nelson asserted, “I can assure you …  nothing will be concealed at all.”

Isn’t that just about a Liberal party mantra these days? 

Rob Walls
http://www.robwalls.net