Barack Obama takes a hit from, of all places, down under:
PRIME Minister John Howard has launched a broadside against US presidential hopeful Barack Obama, warning his victory could destroy Iraq and prospects for peace in the Middle East.
Mr Howard’s stinging attack against the popular Democrat, who formally launched his bid for the Democratic candidacy overnight, also appears to commit Australian troops to staying in Iraq well into 2008.
Only days after saying Australia’s alliance with the US was about more than his personal friendship with US President George W Bush, Mr Howard warned that an Obama victory would be a boost for the terrorists.
The man who wants to be the first black US president has pledged to withdraw US troops from Iraq by March 2008, a timetable Mr Howard believes is dangerous.
“I think that would just encourage those who wanted completely to destabilise and destroy Iraq, and create chaos and victory for the terrorists to hang on and hope for (an) Obama victory,” Mr Howard told the Nine Network.
“If I was running al-Qaeda in Iraq, I would put a circle around March 2008, and pray, as many times as possible, for a victory not only for Obama, but also for the Democrats.”
Wow. What do our Aussie readers make of this?
Thanks to TPM Reader TD from Sydney for the tip.
Update: Some commentary on John Howard’s remarks from Tim Dunlop:
Itâs one thing to be feeling the pressure at home about his own unpopular policy on Iraq; it is quite another to let that pressure get to him to the extent that he felt it necessary to publicly smear a United States Senator, the entire party who currently control the Congress of the United States, and the American people themselves. And all this fresh off him telling us all that we couldnât expect to withdraw troops from Iraq without suffering some consequences for the alliance. Does he seriously think this will go unremarked in Washington?
Late Update: From TPM Reader AB:
Speaking as an Australian: Howard’s comments were largely for domestic consumption. He’s floundering lately – the opposition ALP has a new leadership team that’s making him look very very small. He’s been caught out on the wrong side of a pile of issues, including climate change and the Australian David Hicks (who’s still in Gitmo after 5 years, still no trial). Add to this the Iraq war, which had majority opposition from day one, and he’s feeling the pressure. There’s an election due later this year.
