1. Mr Rudd accused the government of trying to avoid "one of the biggest scandals involving any Australian government at any time". "[Mr] Howard has an–nounced a 100 per cent, rolled–gold whitewash of his own government‘s role in approving this A$300m slush fund arrangement with Iraq," he added.

2. Mr Rudd accused the government of trying to avoid "one of the biggest scandals involving any Australian government at any time." "John Howard has announced a 100 per cent, rolled gold whitewash of his own government‘s role in approving this $300m slush fund arrangement with Iraq," he added.

3. Deadlines for withdrawal like Obama‘s, he said, were inviting the terrorists in Iraq to persist with the destabilization and the mayhem and the bloodshed in the certain knowledge that ultimately the nerve will be lost.‘‘ The prime minister, who faces re–election later this year, has accused Labor Leader Kevin Rudd of being too gutless‘‘ to acknowledge that a premature withdrawal of U.S. troops would be a rolled gold catastrophe for the security interests of our own nation.‘‘ Rudd, who has vowed to pull out most of Australia‘s 1,400 troops stationed in and around Iraq if he wins elections this year, says a step–by–step U.S. withdrawal is the only way forward. The staged withdrawal of U.S. troops in the only way ... in which you bring political pressure to bear on the Sunnis and Shiites who are currently ripping each other apart,‘‘ Rudd told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.