Abbott's VC remarks outrages military

Opposition frontbencher Tony Abbott has sparked outrage by comparing John Howard's US Presidential Medal of Freedom with Trooper Mark Donaldson's Victoria Cross.

Mr Abbott suggests moral courage is possibly a higher virtue than physical courage
in comments published in the Weekend Australian on Saturday.
The remarks have outraged military veterans who have inundated the office of
Veterans Affairs Minister Allan Griffin with complaints.
Mr Griffin labelled Mr Abbott's comments offensive and degrading and called on
Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull to ensure the former Howard government minister
apologises.
In the article headlined "The price of political courage", Mr Abbott lamented that
while Australians rightly acclaimed Trooper Donaldson's award, Mr Howard's award,
the first for an Australian prime minister, had not been similarly regarded.
Reactions to Mr Howard's medal, presented at the White House earlier this month by
former President George Bush, ranged from "muted compliments to bilious rage", he
said.
Mr Abbott noted that in an online poll 82 per cent of more than 11,000 respondents
said Mr Howard did not deserve the medal.
"It's worth pondering though, in the different reactions to these medals, the
different responses people have to courage in battle and to courage in public life,"
Mr Abbott wrote.
He then quoted former soldier and governor-general Sir William Slim who "once said
that moral courage was a higher and rarer virtue than physical courage".
Mr Abbott complained at the lack of recognition for political courage, referred to
the "unknown soldiers" of politics, said it was a thankless life where participants
were often viewed by the public as having their "snouts in the trough".
"If there was anyone in politics who deserved a medal for political courage, it was
Howard," Mr Abbott wrote.
But Mr Griffin said there was room for a legitimate debate on the merit of Mr
Howard's award.
"However, Mr Abbott's contention that political courage is `a higher and rarer
virtue' than physical courage suggests that he clearly sees Mr Howard's medal as
superior than the Victoria Cross," Mr Griffin said in a statement on Saturday.
"The deeds required to be awarded a Victoria Cross are incomparable with the
challenges of political life."
He said Mr Abbott had a complete lack of understanding of the sacrifices made by
veterans and their families.
Trooper Donaldson was awarded Australia's first VC in 40 years for distracting enemy
fire to protect wounded soldiers and for crossing 80 metres into enemy fire to
rescue an injured Afghan interpreter last year.