Shoes thrown at ex Aus PM John Howard on ABC's Q&A Program 25 Oct 2010

Shoes thrown at ex Aus PM John Howard on ABC's QNA Program 25 Oct 2010

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/shoes-thrown-at-howard-during-q...

AAP

Former prime minister John Howard had two shoes hurled at him by an Iraq war protester during an appearance on the ABC's Q&A.

In echoes of the infamous incident in which former US president George Bush had two shoes thrown at him during a trip to Iraq in 2008, Mr Howard came under attack as he defended Australia's involvement in the war.

After explaining that he supported the US-led invasion based on the intelligence available at the time, Mr Howard was approached by the protester who removed his shoes and threw them in his direction.

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As they failed to hit their target, the man shouted words to the effect: "That is for Iraqi dead."

A female audience member then shouted: "You've got blood on your hands", before walking out of the studio.

The man was led away by ABC staff.

Mr Howard appeared unfazed.

"It's all right, don't worry. Forget it, forget it. Relax," he said, turning to show host Tony Jones.

An audience member then told Mr Howard "if that's all they've got to throw at you, you've got nothing to worry about".

Speaking on the ABC's Lateline immediately after Q&A, Nationals Senate leader Barnaby Joyce said someone like Mr Howard would always divide opinion.

"He's a dynamic character, one of the greatest prime ministers this nation will ever see," Senator Joyce said.

"And people who are dynamic and people who have presence will always have the people who love them and the people who dislike them.

"And every crowd's got a fool and you had one their in your studio tonight."

It's not the first time Mr Howard has had shoes thrown at him.

He reportedly had a Doc Martin boot hurled at him as he prepared to deliver a speech to Cambridge University in 2009.

During Monday night's television appearance Mr Howard backed current federal Liberal leader Tony Abbott to lead the party into the next election, saying he had earned the right.

"I think Tony Abbott has earned right to lead the Liberal party without challenge," Mr Howard told the audience.

In a pre-taped video aired during the show, Australian-born former Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks asked him why his government had allowed him to be detained for five-and-a-half years.

"David Hicks trained with the Taliban, David Hicks was associated with groups that were behaving in a manner that was completely opposed to the interests of this country," Mr Howard said.

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[dyslexic89]

crap shot!

[Qiyonkz]

miss that target....try again.....hehehe

[ManFromMelbourne]

The Australian people were lied to about Iraq and Howard knows it. He DOES have blood on his hands. Bring our troops home. They'll never find those so called weapons of mass destruction that Bush and Israel said Iraq had.

[SanctumStudios]

All bow to the great John Howard!!! a true Australian legend!!!!

[rocketsauced]

The fag throws like a girl!!

[koowa2010]

@sahalexx I can also say that howard did not make our economy competative with the USA. In 2005 he signed a free trade agremment with America that strengthened the US economy but to the detriment to many Australian industries like sugar etc. Again on my point about howard being scared of Asia, i would like to add the fact that howard did noting with the Asia region untill the early 2000's (upon preasure from the labor party and others), Howard doesn't even believe in APEC and the power it posses

[koowa2010]

@sahalexx Yes the Hawke/Keating government got Australia into debt. This happened as a result of the reforms they introduced though. You always have to make a loss before you gain things. The Australian people made a premature decision, if the labor government had been realected then they would have collected the benefits of the aformentioned reforms. Howard may have made our economy vaible to compete with Asia, but he did this in his later years. Howard was afraid of Asia.

[sahalexx]

@koowa2010 I don't understand what you mean. $600 million defecit from government spending is strengthening the economy. The economy was at its deepest trough in the early 90s. Thats one of the reasons Howard won a landslide victory over the ALP. And it was Howard who made our economy viable to compete with the American and Asian super-economies.

[koowa2010]

@sahalexx the only reason that the howard government got us out of debt was because of the economic reforms of the Hawke/keating years. yes they did cause the debt but because of this they were able to streangthen the Australian economy, Howard just reaped the benefits and claimed it was all his doing.

[koowa2010]

@sahalexx You are right to point out that Rudd did say what you mentioned, but look were the economic conservatism got us... the GFC!!! country thats blindly follow the United Sates every where (including into wars like that of Iraq) are idiots. Australia needs to show more independance, instead of shoving our selves so far up the americans arse that we can't see the light.