A veteran US diplomat resigned Monday in protest over the Bush administration’s plans to invade Iraq.

In a letter of resignation to Secretary of State General Colin Powell, John Brown wrote: “Throughout the globe, the United States is becoming associated with the unjustified use of force. The president’s disregard for views in other nations, borne out by his neglect of public diplomacy, is giving birth to an anti-American century.”

John Brown joined the State Department in 1981. He has served at US embassies in London, Prague, Krakow, Kiev, Belgrade and Moscow.

Meanwhile, a senior Australian intelligence officer has quit in protest at what he said was Australia’s dangerous rush to war. Office of National Assessments analyst Andrew Wilkie said Iraq does not pose any security threat to Australia, the United States or Britain. He said Iraq’s weapons program was actually degraded and its military weak.

Just two weeks ago, US diplomat John Brady Kiesling resigned from the US embassy in Athens.

John Brown joins us now from Washington, D.C. where he is currently affiliated with the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University.

• John Brown, veteran US diplomat who served at the US embassies in London, Prague, Krakow, Kiev, Belgrade and Moscow. He is currently affiliated with the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University.