The most pompous, spoiled brat to represent Australia

I really enjoyed reading Peter Hartcher's column today. Alexander Downer makes Jeremy Clarkson look like a decent human being with a real contribution to make to mankind:

Several years ago, with controversy over the invasion of Iraq swirling, Alexander Downer saw a chance to score a point against one of the most credible critics of the government's policy.

The then foreign minister was at Melbourne Airport walking towards the gate to catch his flight when he saw, walking ahead of him, Dick Woolcott.

Woolcott was a career diplomat, former secretary of the department of foreign affairs and trade. Although he had retired by the time the Howard government took power, the new government had asked him to perform some delicate diplomatic missions. John Howard made him a special envoy to bringing about a rapprochement with Malaysia's prickly prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, for instance.

But the invasion of Iraq changed all that. Woolcott emerged as a critic. Now seizing the moment in Melbourne Airport, did the foreign minister confront Woolcott? Did he argue the merits of the policy? Did he try to change his mind? Or did he tell him what he thought of him? None of these.

Yelling above the heads of the other travellers, Downer called out to the back of Woolcott's head, "Loser!" he told me later. "Then I ducked down quickly in case he turned around and saw me." In recounting the story, Downer seemed to think it a very funny thing to do.

This was the man who, for nearly a dozen years, represented Australia in the high councils of the world.

Yep, sad but true. Hartcher is the first journalist I've seen look past the Emperor's New Clothes syndrome that seems to be afflicting the rest of the media with Downer's retirement. Yes the man spent 12 years as foreign minister. As Hartcher does well to note, it wasn't because of any particular aptitude for the job. Personally, I cringe to think that this man was representing us, representing Australia. Ugh.

Dick Woolcott today says that he didn't notice Downer's airport taunt. But Woolcott, who once again has been called out of retirement to act as a special envoy for an incoming government, has this taunt for Downer: "Downer and Howard were accomplices in probably the most catastrophic foreign policy decision the US has made."

Iraq is Alexander Downer's legacy as well as John Howard's. It's not a war Australia should have been in, and it's not a war the Australian public wanted. Iraq is on their heads, and that's what Alexander Downer will be remembered for.