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NO APOLOGY NECESSARY

Douglas Wood is back in Australia:

He has apologised to the Australian prime minister and the US president for his appeals for troop withdrawals from Iraq, which he says were made under duress.

Mr Wood says the calls he made in a video-taped statement did not reflect his beliefs, and his rescue by Iraqi forces shows that the policies of recruiting and training Iraqi troops are working.

“I’m proof positive that the policies of the American and Australian governments is the right one,” he said.

Meanwhile, remember this claim from May 18?

A spokesman for Sheik Taj el-Din Al Hilali says a telephone call was received from men claiming to be Mr Wood’s kidnappers.

“After telling him who they are they put him on to an English-speaking gentleman, who indicated to the mufti that he was Mr Wood and that he was well,” the spokesman said.

That’s news to Wood:

The 63-year-old engineer said he had never heard of the Mufti of Australia, Sheikh Taj Aldin Alhilali, during his hostage ordeal.

Posted by Tim B. on 06/19/2005 at 07:01 PM
  1. “After telling him who they are they put him on to an English-speaking gentleman”

    George Galloway?

    Michael Moore?

    Deep Throat?

    Posted by JDB on 2005 06 19 at 08:12 PM • permalink

  2. The mufti’s story changes from hour to hour. Today, the story is that the mufti saved Wood’s life and that he knew where the hostages were being held 6 hours before the rescue and that the kidnappers had agreed to hand Wood to the mufti..

    Quote: “The captors didn’t know who were these forces [the rescuers] because they had agreed to deliver him to me, so they had good reason to be frightened for Douglas’s life”.

    According to Downer, it was a tip off that led them to the house. The Iraqi govt. also claims that the rescue was sheer luck.

    Hmm, now whom do we believe?

    Posted by dee on 2005 06 19 at 08:36 PM • permalink

  3. This is a PR disaster for the terrorists/jihadists.

    Will the ABC ever recover?

    Posted by Henry boy on 2005 06 19 at 08:40 PM • permalink

  4. Good man, Douglas Wood, from a wonderful country. It’s good to see something publicly going right somewhere for all to see.

    (Right now in the US we conservative are boiling angry over Dick Durbin. And now even Slick has called for the Gitmo detainee camp’s closure or clean-up. Something’s in roll-out by the US left.)

    Posted by ForNow on 2005 06 19 at 09:04 PM • permalink

  5. Gosh, nothing about Wood or the Mysterious Disappearing Mufti in our paper today. 

    Oh, well, we don’t want to offend the freedom fighters by calling them a**holes, as Mr. Wood referred to them.  :)

    Or print any positive news.

    Posted by Patricia on 2005 06 19 at 09:15 PM • permalink

  6. Dee, we certainly don’t believe Al Hilbiliy.

    Given Hilbily’s comments about the kindness of the terrorists, he should be sent back to Iraq for open heart surgery terrorist style.

    Posted by captain on 2005 06 19 at 09:15 PM • permalink

  7. I was delighted to hear that Mr Wood was still alive and returning to his family.
    So glad that some bloggers’ (including me!) theories on his quickness, or otherwise, were proved incorrect.

    And I still trust Al Hilarity as far as I can kick him.

    Posted by kae on 2005 06 19 at 09:29 PM • permalink

  8. From ‘The Insiders’:

    I embarked on a military plane C130, without water or chairs, I was only accompanied by the military forces.
    Then we heard some shooting on the ground, the plane had to hover in the dark for an hour and a half, we landed in a darkened airport without any light signals. We saw death in the face many times.

    The poor lad, not like the service one is used to in First Class eh? Besides, no mention of the servicemen who also have to ‘endure’ such deprivations in getting him there and every other day. No mention of who was doing the shelling and why the Americans had to take evasive action. Its all about the Mufti.

    Every so often a car would blow up and we would witness bodies flying in the air. We met once in a place, and ten minutes later, after leaving it, this place was bombed. So this was no child play

    Again, just who was doing this? No mention by the Mufti that the actions of the kidnappers were in any way immoral.

    By the way, why is it that leftist commentators have resorted to using ‘Petro’ and ‘Judy’ as if these people are personal friends? Very one sided.

    Posted by Nic on 2005 06 19 at 09:38 PM • permalink

  9. This will end up another “Oil for Food Program” story for the ABC. Minimal coverage as it doesn’t satisfy their objectives. If Wood had condemned the government for involvement we would expect it to be the biggest news item for the next few weeks however look for it to be buried under other “big stories” by the end of this week.
    Already I’ve heard a few quotes from the MSM attempting to chip away at Wood’s character like “he was only in Iraq chasing a buck”. Watch for more of the same.

    Posted by Hank Reardon on 2005 06 19 at 10:10 PM • permalink

  10. Should anyone be surprised at Mr. Wood’s recanting of his forced appeals?  Did anyone take them seriously at the time they were made, knowing his circumstance? 

    Oh, yes.  The moonbats on the left did.

    Posted by RebeccaH on 2005 06 19 at 10:19 PM • permalink

  11. All praise to the Eight-Legs!

    Posted by hogchild on 2005 06 19 at 10:30 PM • permalink

  12. The vilification of Douglas Wood has already started on the Fairfax letter pages (profiting from war etc). Some deranged individuals even compared his plight to Hicks.

    The Fairfax / ABC axis will have not have the guts to spray Douglas Wood directly (there is no mention of his pro-war comments in the online SMH lead story), but they will allow their viewers and readers to do the dirty work.

    Posted by Adam B on 2005 06 19 at 10:31 PM • permalink

  13. Re the apology:  he’s an honorable man and went the extra mile to show support.

    Posted by Patricia on 2005 06 19 at 10:43 PM • permalink

  14. I got myself into very bad trouble several months ago with the mother of one of these soldiers.

    He is an officer with the 256th, and he was part of this rescue.

    Pray a little.  He’ll leave Iraq in ten weks.

    Posted by Janis Gore on 2005 06 19 at 10:59 PM • permalink

  15. weeks.

    Posted by Janis Gore on 2005 06 19 at 11:01 PM • permalink

  16. The vilication is well underway, epsecially soince he came out in support of the war. Nothing enrages the media more than that a victim might appoint a PR consultant to manage all the demands for stories, exclusives etc. For sure, 60 Minutes and No Idea are already pestering the guy. Why shouldn’t he take their money and get the message out, that the Iraqi army and police are doing a good job in improving security. Howard should appoint him a roving ambassasor for this purpose.

    Posted by mr magoo on 2005 06 19 at 11:20 PM • permalink

  17. I have quit commenting on this site but I continue to read. There’s no need for me to say a thing…THANK GOD! Others express exactly what I’m feeling with more eloquence than I ever could…THANK YOU!
    Thanks Andrea. Thanks Tim.

    Posted by Brian on 2005 06 19 at 11:24 PM • permalink

  18. Fantastic result for the military and its great to have Douglas Wood back in the land of the living and free.

    I have come around; I now agree that the Sheik should be Sheiken off, shaken down and shaken out.

    Posted by ChrisPer on 2005 06 19 at 11:27 PM • permalink

  19. Oh Boy, the left are wigging out!
    Support given to the Bush and Howard administrations for their efforts in Iraq cannot be taken as credible - “Labor has warned against taking the comments of an emotionally distraught man as a true reflection of events in Iraq”.
    Woods comments against the respective administrations at the point of a machine gun or two to his head however are credible.
    Unreal!!

    Posted by Hank Reardon on 2005 06 19 at 11:33 PM • permalink

  20. “I embarked on a military plane C130, without water or chairs, I was only accompanied by the military forces.
    Then we heard some shooting on the ground, the plane had to hover in the dark for an hour and a half, we landed in a darkened airport without any light signals. We saw death in the face many times.”

    Jesus I must have been brave. the amount of times I got into a herc or bou, without water or chairs and then we went flying around in the dark.

    Admittedly, we tended to not land in the thing, let alone at a darkened airport - but still I reckon I was at least fairly brave, quite a few times…

    Posted by Harry Buttle on 2005 06 19 at 11:36 PM • permalink

  21. Ah yes, the Mufti was a witness at suicide bombings, and saw bodies flying through the air, not just once, but several times during his brief stay in Iraq.  Talk about unlucky!  But at least he escaped unscathed.  Unless, of course, he ‘saw’ these things in the same way that he ‘saw’ Douglas Wood (“looked him in the eye”) before Mr. Wood’s rescue, i.e., as an electronic image.

    Posted by cuckoo on 2005 06 19 at 11:46 PM • permalink

  22. Best wishes from US for this brave Aussie. He empitomizes the best that Australians offer.  The leftie press cannot downgrade this, no matter how hard they may try.  The truth is that John Howard and the Australians did the right thing:  as opposed to the Italians who financed the terrorists to the tune of $6MM.  God, ya gotta love the Aussies.

    Posted by Kathy from Austin on 2005 06 20 at 12:41 AM • permalink

  23. Don’t worry, the ABC has it covered. A rather prominent link in the ABC’s main Iraq coverage page under “Special Reports” titled “Sheikh’s actions showed ‘proactive role’” points us to the opinions of a random RMIT student.

    Now that’s what I call an authoritative source!

    Posted by duncanm on 2005 06 20 at 12:41 AM • permalink

  24. Kae: about trusting Al jerko as far as you could kick him.  I’m not sure.  Do you think it would be okay is I kicked him real hard, about 10 or 12 times for distance and then took an average of the distances, before I decide whether or not I could trust him that far?  And if I can’t decide, can I kick him until I can make up my mind?

    Posted by JorgXMcKie on 2005 06 20 at 01:39 AM • permalink

  25. This morning’s Radio National bulletin had an item that lead in with a claim that Condy Rice’s presence in Israel could provoke an escalation in violence, then went to the obligatory soundbite from an ‘unnamed, senior’ Hamas source…which said absolutely nothing about Condy.

    Posted by cuckoo on 2005 06 20 at 01:46 AM • permalink

  26. JorgX, well, maybe you shouldn’t kick him.

    Shit splatters.

    Posted by kae on 2005 06 20 at 01:56 AM • permalink

  27. And that’d be an EPA issue…

    Posted by kae on 2005 06 20 at 01:57 AM • permalink

  28. sbs radio still pushing the angle like crazy.
    I also get the creeping feeling that the M.S.M. is working up to the line that mr Woods is healthy and chirpy for an ex kidnap victim and they think there is some kind of plastic turkey CONSPIRACY involvement if only they could pin it down.
    Sigh -I’ve run out of Cranberry sauce.

    Posted by crash on 2005 06 20 at 02:13 AM • permalink

  29. p.s.- They expect us to take the word of emotionally distraught roving reporters (Marked Lunacy for instance) all the time.

    Posted by crash on 2005 06 20 at 02:16 AM • permalink

  30. “I embarked on a military plane C130, without water or chairs, I was only accompanied by the military forces.
    Then we heard some shooting on the ground, the plane had to hover in the dark for an hour and a half, we landed in a darkened airport without any light signals. We saw death in the face many times.”

    So how, exactly, do you manage to get a C130 to ‘hover’??  Have they invented a VTOL attachment perhaps??

    Posted by kywong73 on 2005 06 20 at 02:44 AM • permalink

  31. Neither the SMH nor the Age bothered to mention Wood’s apology for calling for withdrawal of the troops (under duress) or Wood’s support for the Bush/Howard policy in Iraq, or that he was the living proof it was the right policy.

    Posted by robf on 2005 06 20 at 02:55 AM • permalink

  32. Crash, the gang at Margostan have already been pushing that line - a la Jessica whatshername, the American supposedly rescued in Iraq during the war.
    Also doing his best to get some negatives out of it was Paul McGeogh in Saturday’s Herald, bagging the shit out of everyone involved. I gather nothing short of Woods’ murder would have satisfied him.
    The ABC/SMH/moonbats are really hurting on this one and my prediction is they will either attack the story as not really legit and Wood as not fair dinkum because he is selling his story, or else it will slip totally off their radar and they will just run in a different direction screaming about something else.

    Posted by Harold on 2005 06 20 at 02:57 AM • permalink

  33. Over on the rodeo lovers site not only do they reckon that Wood is a technical mercenary they also reckon al-Hilali is a good Ossie bloke. True blue!

    Posted by rog2 on 2005 06 20 at 03:02 AM • permalink

  34. Why is the shaky hillbilly’s statements and actions not subject to the same level of scrutiny as the governments’? I haven’t heard the ABC mention the continuing inconsistencies in his statements.

    Posted by Harold on 2005 06 20 at 03:09 AM • permalink

  35. Somebody had better give Alexander Downer a call and fill him in on this outrageous situation. He thinks the Sheik was helpful.

    Posted by R_W_F on 2005 06 20 at 03:12 AM • permalink

  36. Yes they thanked him, but they certainly didn’t agree with the wholesale bullshit he has been peddling and the fact that he told some quite obvious lies during this story.
    Want to bet on what they actually think of his efforts?

    Posted by Harold on 2005 06 20 at 03:15 AM • permalink

  37. I’d say he was helpful in that he didn’t totally fuck up the whole operation, though I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have been too concerned if he did.

    Posted by Harold on 2005 06 20 at 03:21 AM • permalink

  38. o’t- smack on the hand for me but I can’t resist dabbling in Christian Kerr on Crikey.
    Behold ABC Local and News/Current affairs slugging it out with each other (invoking the d***h**d word too).
    This infighting appears to be over funding and journalistic hmm ability
    There is a very strong hint that an ABC person called Kerry earns over $300,000 annually. These salaries are all beginning to add up.Also the Local ABC awards “do” costing between $250 and $500,000 air fares included.What fun.

    Posted by crash on 2005 06 20 at 03:25 AM • permalink

  39. Hilaly may well have been a useful idiot for once. I don’t disbelieve the theory that the US planted a bug on him and gained some very useful intelligence leading to Wood’s location.

    Posted by duncanm on 2005 06 20 at 03:26 AM • permalink

  40. So which journalist do you think will be the first to publicly state Wood’s kidnap was staged? And, no, Margo, Phat Phil and Richard Neville do not count.

    Posted by Hanyu on 2005 06 20 at 03:38 AM • permalink

  41. Sheik Alan Hill the Grand Muffy In-man has a new slant on the whole shemozzle ‘stupid actions’

    Posted by Lucky Nutsacks on 2005 06 20 at 03:48 AM • permalink

  42. The Mufti in The Age sounds off

    “As I see it, the Iraqi forces were going for one thing and they discovered something else and they handed Mr Wood over to the Americans,” he said. “Like someone who goes fishing, he puts his fish in a bucket - next thing someone comes and takes it from behind his back.”

    The sheikh said he had wanted to avoid the raid and secure Mr Wood’s release in a more “civilised and peaceful’’ way than had occurred.

    And on a personal note, I’m off for a relaxing week’s break in Australia most racist, right-wing town (according to the MSM): Pt Lincoln. In my case, in nature-vs-nurture, nurture won out.

    Posted by walterplinge on 2005 06 20 at 03:54 AM • permalink

  43. Some of us feared that the Wood situation would become as disgraceful as the Bigley one last September.

    The hostage takers could have gotten little satisfaction from our response and no money - one hopes. The Australian government was firm, Wood’s family couldn’t have been more gutsy and the man himself has apologised where we understood no apology was due.

    It remains to be seen whether the left media will want to punish him for unforgivable indiscretion. How dare he not play the blameful victim? 

    They might be in for a shock if they try.  Woods seems to be a bullshit intolerant kind of bloke.

    Posted by Inurbanus on 2005 06 20 at 04:03 AM • permalink

  44. Contra my #31 - actually they did, but not where I was looking, i.e. reporting on the press conference.

    Posted by robf on 2005 06 20 at 04:12 AM • permalink

  45. Jessica whatshername

    Lynch.

    She was plastic.

    Posted by zeppenwolf on 2005 06 20 at 05:21 AM • permalink

  46. Harold, there’s no reason for Downer to lie about whether he thinks Hilali was useful or not. The Coalition isn’t in the business of pandering to outspoken minorities.

    Posted by R_W_F on 2005 06 20 at 05:23 AM • permalink

  47. I think its called diplomacy RWF.

    Posted by Harold on 2005 06 20 at 05:32 AM • permalink

  48. The good sheik is now clearly a liar - although his original motives in going I am sure were sincere - but he clearly cannot cope with failure - and is trying to rearrange events to suite himself.

    Posted by drbob on 2005 06 20 at 05:38 AM • permalink

  49. Woods’ statement that his rescue from those “arseholes” by the Iraq army was proof positive that the coalitions’ policies are working had the ol Beezer huffin n puffin like a choo choo train.

    He should know, he is an expert in failure.

    Posted by rog2 on 2005 06 20 at 05:49 AM • permalink

  50. Just saw Wood on tv news calling his captors ‘arseholes’ - haha, the lefties will froth at the mouth, he SHOULD have made a speech about how he doesnt hate his captors and how well they treated him, and how he now understands what motivates terrorism.

    In the same news, the mufti was outside a mosque being slagged off by some other rival Islamic group who tried to take over in his absence. The leader of the group is actually much more unpleasant than the mufti, maybe we should stick with the devil we know.

    Posted by dee on 2005 06 20 at 06:59 AM • permalink

  51. Perhaps you shouldn’t stick with devils?

    Posted by Rob Read on 2005 06 20 at 07:24 AM • permalink

  52. #50
    The Age did seem to miss Wood’s pro-Iraq statements. The Age does prefer the speech made by Wood’s brother. Wood’s brother sounded almost sympathetic for the hostage takers.

    It must have been a bit of a shock to find Woods doesn’t share that view.

    Posted by Madison on 2005 06 20 at 07:49 AM • permalink

  53. o/t
    Lateline tonight-Tony Jones suddenly discovers that Australia is riddled with Chinese spies.Since the free trade agreement.
    abc recently begins to target Japan-since the coalition of the willing.
    Gough is lauded for being the first Western leader to establish links with and recognize China for umpteen years.
    John Howard and the Australian people are accused by the media of being deliberately separated from Asia (read racist and ex colonial) before the fed election.
    Now that we are extremely united with Asia and linked by the tragedy of the Tsunami in our region- suddenly China and Japan become sinister threats to our nation.Why?

    Posted by crash on 2005 06 20 at 10:52 AM • permalink

  54. I have to echo Tim’s headline. The fact that Doug’s statement was made under duress was as clear as the black eye on his face when he made it. Furthermore, the fact that he resisted the efforts of his captors to use him as a pawn demonstrated an enormous amount of courage on his part.

    Posted by SeanP on 2005 06 20 at 12:39 PM • permalink

  55. The 63-year-old engineer said he had never heard of the Mufti of Australia, Sheikh Taj Aldin Alhilali, during his hostage ordeal.

    Here’s a theory:  Muffy-Wuffy expected Wood to be dead, so he wasn’t worried about telling what is an obvious LIE. 

    He didn’t think Wood would be around to dispute it.

    What proof have we that he even had any contact with the kidnappers?  Other than his word, which is obviously less believeable than a used car salesman’s.  Or a politician’s.

    “Sheik” Muffy-Wuffy’s “help” is as practical - and productive - as used toilet paper.  And worth less.

    Posted by Barbara Skolaut on 2005 06 20 at 05:10 PM • permalink

  56. The latest “plastic” theme seems to be the 10 million dollars that some believe it cost to rescue Mr. Wood.  Letter writers in the Age and the Oz are saying that he should repay it!  I know the notes here are plastic, but that is taking it too far!

    Posted by SezaGeoff on 2005 06 20 at 07:25 PM • permalink

  57. @Crash- it isn’t just the ABC targeting Japan all of a sudden- the Melbourne Age is doing likewise. I guess the equivalents in other states are also in on the act.

    Posted by Just passing by on 2005 06 20 at 08:26 PM • permalink

  58. I’m glad he has been released safe and sound and all, and I know I shouldn’t judge people on how they appear on TV, but I really dislike Mr Woods.

    Reminds me to much of a shonky builder ex-neighbour or something I guess.

    Posted by Gruntled on 2005 06 20 at 08:39 PM • permalink

  59. Crash, re your OT comments, are you comfortable dealing with the Chinese Communist Party? Whitlam’s recognition came during the height of the Cold War, so your comparison is pretty shaky. Yet we are now in the middle of a period of increased international responsibility - including the liberation of suppressed peoples. Don’t you think that China needs to clean up its act? I’m with Chen Yonglin on this one, mate. But I don’t think either side of Australian politics will have the guts to stand up to the Chinese without firm US backing and a soft deal for our exporters. Whose human rights?

    Posted by R_W_F on 2005 06 20 at 08:45 PM • permalink

  60. I see that the Greens have already started to attempt to take their revenge by demanding that Wood pay for his rescue.

    Posted by murph on 2005 06 20 at 08:53 PM • permalink

  61. But Keysar Trad, a spokesman for Australian Mufti Sheikh Taj al-Din al-Hilaly:

    “I would be very concerned for his safety, especially after the comments that he’s made yesterday with the negative references he’s made to the people who were holding him ... if you compare that with other hostages who have been freed, you’d find that they actually came out and stated that they well looked after, they were fed ... in his case, he also received regular medical treatment ... “
    http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,15681940%5E1702,00.html

    You offer people a little hospitality and this is the thanks you get. Woodie, manners!

    Posted by Inurbanus on 2005 06 20 at 09:06 PM • permalink

  62. Rob Read - it isnt as though we actually have much choice. The Australian public is being force fed the story of how much the mufti sacrificed - never mind that his story changes hour by hour. The MSM will continue to fawn over the mufti in its usual sickening fashion.

    Radical Muslims who believe that the 9/11 attackers ‘destroyed oppressors’ are all devils to me. At least we know the mufti and it saves us from having to waste time familiarising ourselves with a newer and more aggressive version of the same old hate-preaching bigot.

    Posted by dee on 2005 06 20 at 09:19 PM • permalink

  63. Peter Fitzsimons on Sydney radio today: “We all feel a bit uncomfortable about what Wood has said”. What? calling terrorists arseholes? Sounds pretty mild thing to call them to me - the sort of sledging you’d expect in a Rugby match. Must be Doug speaking out in support of Bush and Howard and the Iraqi Govenment. Can’t have that can we? Foggy Fitzy must have been hoping Wood would blame the Coalition of the Willing for his capture like John Martinkus, the SBS reporter. Sucked in, Pete!

    Posted by mr magoo on 2005 06 20 at 09:22 PM • permalink

  64. I wish he’d go back to playing for France, the moon-faced, slap-headed, vacuous , ratchet-jawed git.

    Posted by Habib on 2005 06 20 at 10:01 PM • permalink

  65. Why on earth would anyone feel uncomfortable about calling terrorists arseholes?
    Talk about hand-wringing, bleeding heart, politically correct, moonbat, useful idiots.

    Posted by Harold on 2005 06 20 at 10:13 PM • permalink

  66. The moonbats are spewing because Douglas Wood wouldn’t emulate Robert Fisk and abjectly thank the terrorists for locking him up for 6 weeks, bashing him and pointing rifles at his head.

    ” I feel their pain” NOT.

    Posted by Pedro the Ignorant on 2005 06 20 at 10:52 PM • permalink

  67. FitzSimons is a simpleton fuckwit with a mouth infinitely bigger than his brain.  For me, the most memorable moment in his career was when Philippe Sella belted the king hit him and added a few points to his IQ.

    Posted by murph on 2005 06 20 at 11:19 PM • permalink

  68. I really dislike Mr Woods.

    Reminds me to much of a shonky builder ex-neighbour or something I guess.

    Gruntled: have you considered therapy or medication? Most people get over ex-neighbors when they become—well, ex-neighbors.

    Posted by Andrea Harris, Administrator on 2005 06 20 at 11:39 PM • permalink

  69. #53.This Chinese spying is not all one way traffic,we have managed to plant Senator Nick Bolkus in a company owned by the Chinese Government as a Director.The good Senator was even prepared to risk his $100,000 a year pension by keeping the appointment secret even though he is required to declare pecuniary interests of this nature to the Parliament.

    Posted by Lew on 2005 06 21 at 12:21 AM • permalink

  70. I really dislike Mr Woods.

    Reminds me to much of a shonky builder ex-neighbour or something I guess.

    C’mon Gruntled, that’s really pissweak.

    At least have the balls to say what you mean.  Y’know something like:

    I really dislike Mr Woods.

    He reminds me of someone who calls terrorists arseholes and supports those who seek the destruction of terrorists.  And I don’t like that because they all deserve a big hug.

    Posted by murph on 2005 06 21 at 01:12 AM • permalink

  71. Don’t forget one of the biggest lickers of the arsholes of the Peking murder-gang, second only to Gough - Malcom Fraser.

    Posted by Susan Norton on 2005 06 21 at 02:46 AM • permalink

  72. The SMH has outdone itself today by printing this vile article. I think it’s worth reproducing in full, since it outs Ackland as a petty, hateful, small-minded bigot. The real reason he’s so upset is that Wood refused to tell lies about his captors, and called them the arseholes they are.


    Doug’s grateful, but armed forces must make way for market forces
    By Richard Ackland
    June 21, 2005

    The hero of the day is now a product being ripened by a platoon of PR agents, managers, stylists and personal trainers. There’s a buck to be made with this boy.

    Not that Douglas Wood doesn’t understand how to trot out a volley of cliches all on his own: “It’s great to be an Australian … God bless America … Any chance of a VB? … It’s bloody good to be home … How are the Cats going? … Waltzing Matilda.”

    Not bad for a guy who’s lived away from his proud homeland for 25 years.

    The Geelong Football Club was tickled pink that anyone thought it might have come within cooee of a recent premiership. “We’re going to try and get him along to Skilled Stadium and show him off to the public,” said a beaming Geelong chief executive, Brian Cook. Anyway, Wood has been sent a Cats’ membership and a signed guernsey.

    If this keeps up for much longer we’ll have had more than enough of the Wood story even before Sandra Sully on Channel Ten uses her beguiling techniques to extract more amazing secrets next Sunday.

    Ten’s triumph is bitter in the mouth of the usual chequebook suspects, channels Nine and Seven. Now there’s a bit of not-too-subtle bagging of Team Wood, which quickly has transmogrified into Enterprise Wood.

    As the man at the centre of the enterprise explained to his agents yesterday: I’m a commercial man. I believe in market forces. It’s not as though I asked to be captured.

    It is quite clear that Douglas Wood is not a Vernon or a Malcolm, who have been models of grace under pressure. They have resisted every temptation to be critical of their brother’s captors. Doug, yesterday, was not so reticent: They’re “arseholes”.

    Whereas Vernon and Malcolm played a very straight bat on the occupation of Iraq, it is pretty clear that Doug thinks things are on the up and up: “I actually believe I am proof positive that the current policy of training the Iraqi army … works because it is the Iraqis who got me out.”

    Sunday’s TV interview is something to which we can all look forward, because the usual clause in the contract says the victim can’t be interviewed by any other outfit. But, the trouble with the chequebook interview is that the questioner and the answerer both are joined in a common commercial enterprise. Pap replaces the probe. So can we hope that Sully gets to the bottom of what Douglas Wood and his company worked on in Iraq? What were the civil engineering works that engaged him and to whom was he contracted?

    Talking of contractors, wasn’t the brief flirtation by the US Administration of closing down Guantanamo Bay intriguing? A story on June 9 had President Bush saying he was ready to examine alternatives to the Cuba base. Yet according to Dick Cheney, that was the silliest idea he’d ever heard. The whole thing suddenly went off the agenda and then last Thursday it was announced that Halliburton’s subsidiary, with the disturbing name of Kellogg Brown & Root, had been awarded a contract to build an improved 220-bed prison for terrorists at Guantanamo Bay. How well oiled is that?

    Possibly there’ll be something similar for Doug Wood now that he’s the new pin-up boy of the US-Australian alliance’.


    According to the SMH straw poll:

    Question: Should Douglas Wood sell his story?

    Yes, he’s suffered enough ... 52%
    No way, he’s a money grubber ..12%
    Yes, if he reimburses the taxpayers for the cost of his rescue ... 35%

    Posted by dee on 2005 06 21 at 03:35 AM • permalink

  73. Dee,

    the sour grapes are not only because ha called them ‘arseholes’ and wasn’t critical of the US, its because by living, they haven’t got another argument as to why it was wrong to have gone to Iraq. he has ‘robbed’ them of a free kick.

    The left makes me sick. Whats the bet had he criticised the yanks, the leftist media would have been purring about ‘Douglas’. Wankers.

    Posted by Nic on 2005 06 21 at 03:44 AM • permalink

  74. Dee,

    I was also sickened by that piece.

    So can we hope that Sully gets to the bottom of what Douglas Wood and his company worked on in Iraq? What were the civil engineering works that engaged him and to whom was he contracted?

    What next, asking what a person wore when they got raped?

    Talking of contractors

    Nice way to associate Douglas with Hicks. Not.

    Posted by Andjam on 2005 06 21 at 03:52 AM • permalink

  75. If I was in his situation I would call them arseholes. In fact I call them arseholes now.

    I just dislike the man from what I have seen.

    That said, I am glad that he was rescued.

    Posted by Gruntled on 2005 06 21 at 04:16 AM • permalink

  76. Obviously the media(see abc last night for a start) were all ready to blame him for thinking of going back to Iraq.
    Therefore they can hardly whine about him selling his story to boost his finances.If he has to leave his business and source of income.
    Anyway the msm make all their money by parading the misery of suicide bombings and dead troops etc. if anyone is fuelling their own chequebooks it is them.Ackland was mediawatch wasn’t he? Good pedigree for petty,small minded bigots.
    Gruntled do not judge too harshly,the man
    is in shock.
    RWF The U.S. isnt’t good enough for us to be associated with,China isn’t either…..who is -Zimbabwe,Greenland,Middle Earth perhaps.

    Posted by crash on 2005 06 21 at 04:53 AM • permalink

  77. Heh, I thought I was the only one who got the feeling that if I got to know Wood, I’d want to punch him in the face. HOWEVER, any money coming his way from book deals and so on is his, I think he’s earnt that much.

    Paying for the rescue should only apply if he went back and got captured again, like those idiots in the boats who constantly get themselves stranded attempting stupid records.

    But of course I forget he committed the terrible sin of supporting Howard and Bush. Were he to say that the people that kidnapped and would have killed him are a smashing lot and should be running Iraq.

    Were I in his position far more colourful things then “arseholes” would come from my mouth.

    Posted by Aging Gamer on 2005 06 21 at 05:05 AM • permalink

  78. OFF TOPIC
    I hope Tim picks up on Eddie McGuire’s “who wants to be millionaire” show.
    Eddie has turned this show into an assist the ‘hard on their luck contestants” and good on him as scores of contestants go home with a few thousand bucks to “start anew”.
    Those who are smart enough to read the Eddie maguire body language are steered to the right answers .
    The show has become more interesting as it is a spot the hint contest for the viewers and far more challenging than the original.
    Last Night however the show went into overdrive as the usual “help you up to $16,000 went to half a million.
    An impoverished opera singer was pushed up by the ever so generous Eddie to the million dollar question.
    Did anyone spot the hints?

    Posted by davo on 2005 06 21 at 05:12 AM • permalink

  79. From the moment Wood praised Iraqi and Coalition policy it had to get sadly predictable.  Journos are so used to believing that they can monopolise perceptions that DW’s words were like a fart in a drawing room.  He will be sent to his room and no dinner. 

    If he can’t be made to see that ‘grace’ means speaking well of those who kidnapped and abused you, he will receive the full force of the left elitist contempt and condescension. 

    Ackland’s spiel grinds along familiar ruts:

    Wood was in Iraq to help reconstruction and make a living = Wood is a capitalist mercenary and (we hope) Halliburton staffer.
    Wood likes football and VB = Wood pursues vulgar, red-necked enthusiasms.
    Wood says ‘it’s good to be home’ = Wood is a mouther of cliques.
    Wood calls murderous kidnappers ‘arseholes’ = Wood is a foul-mouthed low life.
    Wood thinks Iraqi and coalition policy is on the right track = Wood is a gullible imbecile.

    Ackland believes he is above cheque book journalism but he has no bother with gutter journalism.  I’m sure he will be checking to see how Wood holds his fork next Sunday.

    Posted by Inurbanus on 2005 06 21 at 05:32 AM • permalink

  80. Apologies

    Make that ‘Wood is a mouther of cliches.’

    Posted by Inurbanus on 2005 06 21 at 06:21 AM • permalink

  81. Heh, I thought I was the only one who got the feeling that if I got to know Wood, I’d want to punch him in the face.

    ????

    Posted by Andjam on 2005 06 21 at 07:17 AM • permalink

  82. Hi, I’m an ex-prisoner of Camp X-Ray at Guantanamo Bay. I wanted to sell my story exclusively to the SMH and get Peter Ackland to ghostwrite a book for me. But I see they’re too principled for that kind of thing. Too bad, because I think there’s a buck to be made and I would have thought they’d want to get to the bottom of what I was doing on in Iraq.

    Posted by Arty on 2005 06 21 at 07:18 AM • permalink

  83. That should have been Richard Ackland. Duh!

    Posted by Arty on 2005 06 21 at 07:25 AM • permalink

  84. O/T
    Can we swap Petro Georgio for Laurie Ferguson then,after he embarrassed Bomber over Peter Kassim?
    He said releasing him without him cooperating would set a bad precedent- what guts. Never thought I would see the day…...

    Posted by crash on 2005 06 21 at 07:45 AM • permalink

  85. Kassim comes from the most contentious border region between India and Pakistan - Kashmir - and he says he comes from closer to the Pakistani side (from what I have heard of the case).
    It is little wonder that the Indians are suspicious of him and have refused to take him back.
    It is possible that the Pakistanis are not inclined to, or are not capable of producing any records to assist in his proper identification.
    So, at what point do we find out the truth about him?

    Posted by blogstrop on 2005 06 21 at 08:51 AM • permalink

  86. While we are on the subject - again - of illegal immigration, can anybody explain why so many Islamic people are coming here? Is it the freedom of speech? Or is it the incredible social services? It surely is not because we are decadent, western, and largely christian, is it?. Why do they not prefer to stay in one of the islamic countries they have transited through, and, as an ancillary to that: why do those countries not want them, but shepherd them through to us?
    Will conversion to Christianity now be rendered unnecessary when having kids will do?
    Now that breeding readily and often is the new immigration qualifier, how long will it be until we are confronted with similar demographic problems to France, Germany and Holland, where the difficulty of assimilating these people is now evident, but the opportunity to change the course of events has passed.
    Once you accept that it is politically correct to accept those who do not accept you, what is your further strategy?
    The thrust of the arguments from the ALP (and media agitprop commissars), combined with the government-appeased ginger group, is that we take everyone who can arrive here, regardless of their reasons for coming or their likelihood of being a positive element here.
    How many messages of weakness of resolve can we afford to send?

    Posted by blogstrop on 2005 06 21 at 09:14 AM • permalink

  87. Asylum should be funded totally via charity.

    Then the lefties can dig as deep as they can afford to without making anyone else poorer or have to work harder.

    Posted by Rob Read on 2005 06 21 at 11:40 AM • permalink

  88. That is the case now- individuals or organisations can sponsor the migration of anyone provided they meet health, security and identification criteria; the perpetually outraged prefer that all of you sponsor their chosen barrow through the tax system. Neat, eh? They get the warm, gooey inner glow and sense of smug self-satisfaction on your dime; let’s face it, most of them don’t have two bob to their names; Marilyn Shepherd has been on an insane pension for thirty years and Pamela Curr is an unsuccessful candidate for the Greens- this is the only way they have to feel important, and should be ignored at all costs. As to the high level of Islamic migration here, it’s also the case in western Europe and the USA/Canada; the opportunities and high level of welfare are certainly part of it, especially given the high level of welfare dependance among this group. Paranoid theories have it being part of a campaign of infiltration and eventual takeover as part of a grand plan for a new caliphate, but this would require a level of planning and organisation well beyond that possible for yahoos who’s greatest assault tactic is to blow their most committed troops to flinders in crowded places. The inherent laziness of Levantines and the widely known knowledge that we in the west are a soft touch is the main attractant. Where else would a leading terrorist be paid by the statehe is actively trying to destroy?

    Posted by Habib on 2005 06 21 at 07:35 PM • permalink

  89. Never underestimate anyone, it only leads to failure. Why do you think Howard not only got back into government but also got the senate on his 4th term?

    Posted by Aging Gamer on 2005 06 21 at 09:19 PM • permalink

  90. “The subtext always has been that those who support open borders are somehow more caring or ethical than their purportedly insensitive opponents who wish a return to measured and legal immigration.

    In fact, the opposite is true. More frequently it is an uncaring elite — made up of both Democrats and Republicans — that advocates not enforcing immigration laws. And it is past time for them to explain why it is moral or liberal, rather than merely convenient, to import millions outside the law to do the jobs we supposedly cannot.”

    An article on illegals from VDH
    http://victorhanson.com/articles/hanson061305.html

    Posted by blogstrop on 2005 06 22 at 08:02 AM • permalink

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