Congratulations and thanks to the American soldiers in Iraq

It is one of the great shames that most Australians have either forgotten or don't know or don't want to know that in War World II Americans soldiers, at the cost of thousands of fatalities, pushed the Japanese army all the way across the Pacific back to Tokyo.

The Anzacs played a glorious role in defending Australia but it was the sacrifice of those young American soldiers that ultimately was the barrier to a Japanese invasion of our country.

The American military shown time and time again that it has the stomach to take up the fight against threats to the world's liberal democracies. And so often have they had to guard their backs against forces in the West who always seem to take up the defence of the enemies of democracy. Never let it be forgotten that the Western media made it possible for a brutal communist dictatorship to take control and oppress the Vietnamese people.

Right across the Muslim world there are large groups of extremists motivated by politics and culture (not religion) that have committed themselves on a blasphemous oath to the elimination of the 'Crusader' West - of which Israel and the Jews are an integral part. There is no distinction made between citizen and soldier, between male and female, between child and adult. All persons in the West are to be murdered wherever and whenever possible. The evidence for this is so blatant and comprehensive that only the deluded and unbalanced would be in denial.

Yet there are large groups and associations in our liberal democracies, tightly organised, that see the United States as the terrorist and enemy. And they use their influence and power to defend criminals and tyrants like Saddam Hussein, and react with satisfaction whenever there is news of the murder of an American soldier.

We in Western democracies should react with sorrow at the news of the death of each American soldier. We should feel sadness for the family of that soldier. We should convey our gratitude and esteem to the American soldier who has nobly and courageous put his life on the line to defend what is right. And we should harbour nothing but contempt for those individuals and groups that work at every opportunity to make the task more difficult and dangerous.