The full Nelson: He's no Mandela

"Private Kovco, 25, a member of the Australian army security detachment in Baghdad, died on April 21 from a single shot to the head from his Browning 9mm automatic pistol.

But the source said it appeared that the computer had slipped off Private Kovco's lap, landing on the pistol, which caused it to fire.

Dr Nelson initially said Private Kovco was handling and maintaining his gun when it discharged. He subsequently said he was not handling the gun at the time"

- paraphrased: Ed O'Loughlin, Kuwait, The Age Newspaper.

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Brendan Nelson changed his story three times. First he told us that Private Kovco was cleaning his gun and then discharged, killing him. Then he says that wasn't the case that it must have fallen or something to that effect. Now he tell us that while typing an email, his laptop fell on his gun, does a somersault and a triple backflip, and fires one single shot into his head. Or something to that effect. New information has come out that there were two soldiers in the room as well and have no idea what happened.

The whole thing sounds suss. In fact, it sounded dodgy as soon as I heard it. Here is a guy, who's a train solider. Wait, he's not just a ordinary foot soldier, he's a friggin weapons specialist who's been handling guns since he was 14 years old, AND an elite paratropper (i.e. the dudes that jump from the helicopters).

I'm sure someone of that calibre knows how to clean his gun. Heck, even I know that:
1) You don't clean a gun with bullets inside
2) You don't point it at your head while you polish the barrel
3) You dont clean the trigger while there's a bullet inside and the barrel is pointed at your head

This guy practically knows guns like the back of his hand. Accidents do happen but I don't think he accidentally shot himself. Furthermore, he had a wife and two young kids, so suicide was also unlikely. To me it suggests that there was foulplay unless they were playing Russian Roulette either.

The whole mix up in delivering the body also stinks. His family deserved better than to recieve the body of another solider. And to happen on the eve of Anzac day as well. I know that deaths that occur in war are not justified or should be glorified, but to go out this way - while cleaning your gun, I mean that is a really cruel way to die. I'm not sure if you get my point, but he wasn't killed in action i.e. fighting, he was killed in his room handling his own weapon.

Now with the conflicting reports on how he died, the whole situation is just really bad. I know Dr Nelson offered the family to fly with him to pick up the real body, but it should have been handled right from the beginning. Stop coming out with these conflicting stories and just sort it out. I understand that there may be other people at fault as well, but as the Minister of Defence, the buck stops with you. The damage you have caused the family is irreparable and you have lost my respect and of the Australian people.

Lest we forget,

DJ Ho.