Please define ‘better off’

Australian Prime Minister John Howard yesterday: “Iraq is a better place for Saddam having been gone.”

In the papers today: “Prisoners released from [Baghdad’s Abu Ghraib prison] last week spoke of routine torture of terrorism suspects. On Wednesday, 27 prisoners were hanged in the first mass execution since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime.”

And last week:

As new figures show the numbers of civilian deaths in Iraq spiralling sharply upwards, the nation's most influential moderate Shiite leader has abandoned attempts to restrain his followers, admitting there is nothing he can do to prevent the country sliding towards civil war. ...

In a dismal assessment, a new Pentagon report has revealed that the numbers of attacks and civilian casualties in Iraq have risen sharply in recent months as sectarian violence has engulfed larger areas of the country. Deaths have risen by 1000 a month.

The quarterly report shows that the number of attacks over the past four months increased by 15 per cent and the number of Iraqi casualties rose by 51 per cent to more than 3000 violent deaths a month.

Over the longer term, the surge is even more grim. Weekly attacks have doubled from about 400 in the northern spring of 2004 to nearly 800 in recent weeks. The number of daily casualties has increased from fewer than 30 a day in 2004 to more than 110 a day in recent weeks.

Mr Howard’s propensity for viewing the situation in Iraq through rose-tinted glasses has become legendary. But what dark vision assails him as he waddles through the streets of Sydney on his regular morning walks?

After reminding reader’s - once again - that Mr Howard “was in Washington at the time of the [Sept 11] attacks”, the first article notes that “he fears a similar attack on towering office blocks in downtown Sydney.”

“An attack on a major sporting event, a plane, a big building. Every time I go for a walk in the morning I see those buildings and thoughts go through my head. I have to be honest and say that,” he said.

The man has been spooked. And he may well be deluded. He should retire.