The press are lost and uncomprehending

A VOICE FROM THE PRESS:
Mr. Blair, aren’t these attacks your fault, because of your foreign policy?

John Howard: No self-respecting government of any political stripe would allow that (letting terrorists dictate policies) to happen…May I remind you that the murder of 88 Australians in Bali occurred before operations in Iraq?…May I remind you that Sept. 11 happened before Iraq? May I remind you that the first time Al Qaeda referred specifically to Australia was in regard to the liberation of East Timor. Are people suggesting we shouldn’t have done that?…This is about hatred of a way of life. This is about a perverted use of one of the world’s great religions.”

Blair: “I agree 100 percent with that… The roots of this are deep. Terrorist attacks go back more than 10 years…What they want us to do it to turn around and say oh, it’s our fault.. The people who are responsible for terrorist attacks are the terrorists…In the end the values that we represent are the values that will triumph.”

H/T Mary Katharine Ham Who has running updates. Here is a transcript (via Instapundit and The Corner) of John Howard’s excellent, withering and correct remarks. Trey Jackson has the video.