In defense of his decision, HoWARd said:

"Al Muthanna was one of the safer parts of Iraq and was far less dangerous than areas around Baghdad and further north. It’s remained relatively benign, it’s a lot better and this is a much safer part of Iraq than the Sunni triangle."

"The government believes that Iraq is very much at a tilting point and it’s very important that the opportunity of democracy, not only in Iraq, but also in other parts of the Middle East, be seized and consolidated."

"This has not been, is not and will not be an easy decision for the Government. I know it will be unpopular with many. I ask those people to take into account the reasons that I have given. I believe this is the right decision. It will make a significant contribution to the coalition effort."

"Self-evidently we would have liked the major combat to have gone differently … [but] coalition withdrawal or defeat is unimaginable. The coalition must stay in Iraq if the country is to make a successful transition to democracy."

Kim, Andrew and Bob are not supportive of this latest commitment of 450 extra military personnel and
neither am I.

Canberra scientist Rod Barton told the ABC Four Corners program he took part in an interrogation.

David Kay, a former head of the Iraq Survey Group (ISG), said there was no difference between an interrogation and an interview. Mr Kay, who led the search for Saddam Hussein’s (non-existent) weapons of mass destruction, said Australians were involved in the questioning of prisoners.

Kevin Rudd weighs in demanding answers,

"So I’ve got to say after a few days in Parliament we’ve got a prime minister saying ‘no, none of this happened’, but we have Mr Barton, (a) respected official who even the prime minister refused to get stuck into in Parliament yesterday, saying exactly the reverse,"
"The key thing here … is simply whether Mr Howard is telling the truth to the Australian people."

Joe Hockey defends his leader,

"This is a semantic debate about what is an interrogation and what is an interview. The fundamental point is: were Australians there whilst Iraqis were allegedly being tortured? The answer is ‘no’."

in·ter·ro·gate
Pronunciation: in-‘ter-&-"gAt
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): -gat·ed; -gat·ing Etymology: Latin interrogatus, past participle of interrogare, from inter- + rogare to ask
1 : to question formally and systematically
2 : to give or send out a signal to (as a transponder) for triggering an appropriate response

in·ter·view
Pronunciation: ‘in-t&r-"vyü
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle French entrevue, from (s’) entrevoir to see one another, meet, from entre- inter- + voir to see
1 : a formal consultation usually to evaluate qualifications (as of a prospective student or employee)
2 a : a meeting at which information is obtained (as by a reporter, television commentator, or pollster) from a person b : a report or reproduction of information so obtained

Two thoughts John HoWARd.
Is the Australian Military poorly trained for the invasion of Iraq and can’t manage a decent interrogation?
Or, is the Australian Military prepared to do all things military except interrogation/interview.

Curious HoWARd, because under the Geneva convention, interrogation is allowed.

Interrogation: While POWs the detaining power may interrogate them, POWs are only required to provide their surname, first names, rank, date of birth, and their army, regimental, personal or serial number under questioning. POWs, cannot be punished if they do not, but are not required to provide any additional information. "No physical or mental torture, nor any other form of coercion, may be inflicted on prisoners of war to secure from them information of any kind whatever. Prisoners of war who refuse to answer may not be threatened, insulted, or exposed to any unpleasant or disadvantageous treatment of any kind." (Third Geneva, Art. 17).

John HoWARd, you have sent the Australian Military into an invasion of Iraq. We, as Australians are not naive. Stop sanitising war. Stop telling us Australians are different.
Stop patronising us, and them, and bring them home.