Steyn on Howard - “A loss for civilization”

Some of Mark Steyn’s reflections on John Howard’s government:
Too bad Howard’s regime is gone. Such common sense and plain-spoken leadership are rare commodities.

"You can't find any equivalent in Italian or Greek or Lebanese or Chinese or Baltic immigration to Australia. There is no equivalent of raving on about jihad," said Howard.
... [Treasurer] Peter Costello. Sympathising with Muslims who wish to live under sharia law, he mused: "There are countries that apply religious or sharia law: Saudi Arabia and Iran come to mind. If a person wants to live under sharia law these are countries where they might feel at ease. But not Australia."
Howard called for "a root and branch renewal of Australian history in our schools, with a restoration of narrative instead of what I labelled the 'fragmented stew of themes and issues"'.

Australia should never have had a "department of immigration and multicultural affairs", but, given that it did, Howard was right to rename it the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Government should promote citizenship, not multiculturalism.
Colin Powell I never expected much from, but few hitherto clear-headed types have shrunk in office as remorselessly as Condi Rice.
Alexander Downer my favorite foreign minister...for his gleeful mockery of transnationalism and its pointless committees stuffed with representatives of what he called "busted arse countries"..."Multilateralism is a synonym for an ineffective and unfocused policy involving internationalism of the lowest common denominator."