Here's outstanding news from down under.
Australia's Prime Minister John Howard has claimed victory in the federal election, shortly after his Labor rival Mark Latham conceded defeat. With 70% of the votes counted, results indicate Mr Howard's Liberal-National coalition has won an easy majority.Australia's 13m voters had a choice between Mr Howard, a staunch supporter of the Iraq war, and the younger Mr Latham, who opposed the intervention. Their endorsement of Mr Howard is a relief for others who backed the war.
A beaming John Howard told his supporters: "I am truly humbled by this extraordinary expression of confidence in the leadership of this great nation by the coalition."
Prolific John Ray in Brisbane makes an important point:
I can't help noting that, like Spain, Australians were attacked by Muslim terrorists just before the election. The attacks were not exactly comparable in that the attack on the Australian embassy in nearby Jakarta mainly succeeded in blowing up other Muslims but the attack did get big news coverage here nonetheless. And Australians had the same choice that Spaniards had -- a Leftist opposition that promised to get the troops out of Iraq pronto. But Australians are not Spaniards -- and it shows.
Quite right. Why is this so important to Americans? As Dr. Stephen Blank at the U.S. Army War College said in 2003:
U.S. Deputy Secretary Rich Armitage put it best back in July, when he said “Australia punches above its weight." For decades Australia has been a proven and reliable American ally. They are the only country to have fought alongside the United States in every major conflict since the First World War.In the global war on terrorism, the Australians have been no less than strategic and operational trailblazers.
John Howard's leadership has been essential.
Posted by Alan at October 9, 2004 10:09 AM