Cosgrove next GG
GENERAL Peter Cosgrove has been named by Tony Abbott as Australia’s next governor-general.
The former chief of defence will replace Kevin Rudd appointee Quentin Bryce in late March.
Standing alongside his wife Lynne in Canberra, General Cosgrove, 66, said he was “truly humbled” by the appointment.
A General,a conservative and a man – the Left will hate it but Australia can now relax as we have a GG who will be for all the people in a non-ideological and pragmatic manner. I doubt very much he’ll rattle on about a Republic as Bryce did whilst drawing the Queen’s money, nor would I expect him to be an activist for every feminist and gay group in the country.
Good call, Abbott!
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Good choice – a Catholic, a Vietnam Vet, and a man who has the courage to look back at the history of that conflict with honesty –
Vietnam first, of course. It’s so long after the event I think it’s safe to say that on reflection I’d probably join the majority of Australians who thought in retrospect our involvement was not going to be successful. It was simply not going to work, and therefore with 20/20 hindsight we probably shouldn’t have gone.
Cosgrove speaking at the National Press Club, July 30, 2002.
Trust you to find the one moment in his life when he forgot who he was and who he represented
He did not forget who he was, nor who he represented. This has been his consistent and considered opinion for years. From his autobiography “My Story” published by Harper Collins in 2006, (p 105) –
My concern is simple. Regardless of the political and ethical considerations of whether a war should have been fought by foreign troops on the soil of Vietnam (and that will always be a matter for endless debate), I remember with sadness that over 500 Australians were killed in that war and many more wounded and maimed; over 50000 Americans lost their lives.
And we left. And we lost. We mustn’t do that with our men and women. Sending troops to war is without doubt the most difficult and agonizing decision for any leader. My advice to leaders is never to take the decision lightly and, having done so, never stop until the outcome is worth the cost.
It is a great pity he wasn’t around to offer that advice when the decision was made to commit troops in the first place, then to send conscripts, and finally to withdraw them before the job was done. All three decisions were political, not strategic. I wonder whether he would have been listened to.
It is quite legitimate, as Cosgrove has done, to honor those who fought but question the conduct and motives of the politicians who sent them. This does not diminish the sacrifice of those who survived and those who did did, but it may prevent future tragedies.
Kev, I think he keeps a file listed under, ” things I can dig up later and use as bait” you know how shallow the bloke is, I don’t know why you give him space.
I agree with you though, now we have a true representative of Australia, and may he continue to serve his country in the manner he has so faithfully done before.
who did did should read who didn’t.