Most Australian families operate on a budget. So do companies, clubs and societies, and churches. And so, of course, does the federal government. Beyond the figures, a budget is a strong indication of an organisation's core priorities, while changes from year to year show how those priorities fluctuate. Last week's federal budget was a dog's breakfast …
Bin Laden killing a symbolic victory
The world’s most wanted man, Osama bin Laden, is dead. For ten years the face of global Islamist terror, bin Laden was finally cornered and shot dead by US Navy SEALS in a secure compound outside Islamabad in Pakistan. It was a high-risk operation, not least for US President Barack Obama, who ordered bin Laden …
Knee-jerk responses to Osama’s death
Along with millions around the world, I greeted news of the death of Osama bin Laden with surprised relief, and I was fascinated by the responses it generated. But two concerns stood out. First, while jubilation at a long hoped-for win is understandable, the scenes of wild celebration outside the White House detracted, I think, …
Religious responses to Osama’s death
There have been many religious responses to the news of the killing of Osama bin Laden by US forces in Pakistan. The Vatican said bin Laden “bore the most serious responsibility for spreading divisions and hatred among populations, causing the deaths of innumerable people, and manipulating religions to this end,” and said his killing should …
Vengeance is not justice
“Vengeance at last!” screamed The Sydney Morning Herald headline on Tuesday. “Justice delayed but finally delivered, said The Australian. The killing of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan has revived hopes of an end to the War on Terror, and a return to a more secure and less fearful world. As Paul Kelly put it in …
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