Heckled inside and outside Australia's parliament, US President George W. Bush offered a pointed answer to those who say the war with Iraq wasn't worth fighting.
"Who can possibly think that the world would be better off with Saddam Hussein still in power?" Bush asked yesterday as he wrapped up a six-nation lobbying campaign to reinvigorate the war on terrorism among Asian and Pacific allies.
Bush told a divided parliament that the war in Iraq was right and inevitable, but that Americans and Australians "still have decisive days ahead" and that the broader war on terror could be long and drawn out.
With thousands of anti-war demonstrators protesting outside the building and two hecklers jeering him from within, Bush thanked the government of Prime Minister John Howard for its help in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
"America, Australia and other nations acted in Iraq to remove a grave and gathering danger, instead of wishing and waiting while a tragedy drew closer," Bush said near the end of an eight-day overseas trip.
Before heading for Hawaii yesterday, Bush observed a ceremony in which soldiers placed a wreath on Australia's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to honor Sergeant Andrew Russell, an Australian soldier who was the first casualty among US allies in Afghanistan.
Bush also met privately with Australian soldiers who fought in Iraq and in Afghanistan, before Howard escorted Bush to the bottom step of Air Force One for the 10-hour flight to Hawaii.
Bush praised Howard as "a leader of exceptional courage" for sending 2,000 troops to Iraq despite the largest peace protests in his nation since the Vietnam War.
For his part, Howard said as he introduced Bush to parliament: "We have a divided view in this nation" on Iraq.
That was reinforced when 41 opposition-party lawmakers signed a letter criticizing Bush's war decision, saying no clear and present danger existed.
Thousands of demonstrators banged drums and shouted outside the parliament building while a separate group of protesters jostled with security officials outside the US Embassy compound where Bush stayed overnight.
Police Superintendent Rob Gilliland said four people were arrested. He did not know if the protesters would be charged.
During Bush's speech, two Green Party senators jumped to their feet and shouted war protests at Bush. They were ordered removed from the chamber but sat and refused to leave. One of them, Senator Bob Brown, shouted "we are not a sheriff," a reference to Bush's recent description of Howard.
"I love free speech," Bush said to laughter.
Several other lawmakers wore white arm bands to protest the Iraq war but remained silent.
Later, Bush spokesman Scott McClellan said that the president had been warned beforehand by Howard of possible heckling.
For the most part, Bush was warmly received. Opposition Labor Party leader Simon Crean, in opening remarks, said that differences over Iraq "strengthen rather than weaken the relationship."
"Friends must be honest with one another," he added.
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