Greg Sheridan: In Praise of 'Great' Men

"The most influential foreign affairs analyst in Australian journalism*," Greg (Jerusalem Prize) Sheridan, Foreign Editor of The Australian, has a soft spot for the high and the mighty:-

"Indonesia's Suharto was an authentic giant of Asia, a nation-builder, a dictator, a changer of history." The Australian 28/1/08

[Suharto presided over the following deaths: Indonesia:1965-1968 - 1 million; East Timor:1975-1999 - 183,000; West Papua - 100,000; Aceh - 15,000 (Total:1,298,000) Figures from The Australian, 29/1/08]

"[John Howard:] A decent man, a genuinely great prime minister and a giant in Australian foreign and security policy." The Australian 29/11/07

[2003-2006 - 665,000 Iraqi deaths: Figure from The Lancet 11/10/06]

"Paul Wolfowitz is a good man brought down by a shabby, politicised witch-hunt." The Australian 19/5/07

[2003-2006 - 665,000 Iraqi deaths: Figure from The Lancet 11/10/06]

"[Dick] Cheney may not be everyone's cup of tea. But he's a straight shooter and a loyal ally." The Australian 25/2/07

[2003-2006 - 665,000 Iraqi deaths: Figure from The Lancet 11/10/06]

"George W Bush may well be judged, ultimately, a great president, especially in the war on terror." The Australian 14/9/06

[2003-2006 - 665,000 Iraqi deaths: Figure from The Lancet 11/10/06]

"Nothing could fell the mighty Ariel Sharon but his own brain." The Australian 6/1/06

[Sharon presided over the following Palestinian/Arab deaths: Bureij - 15; Qibya - 67; Suez War - 650; 1967 War - 21,000; 1982 Lebanon War - 13,000; Second Intifada 2000-2005 - 4,228 (Total: 38,960). Figures from Kimmerling, Wikipedia, UN]

* According to The Australian's website.