You miss Obama's point which is a legitimate one. The number he pulled out of thin air was on only having a vague knowledge of the size of our Defence Force. The number was not important in the context of his speech.

As Obama stated everyone of the US's 140,000 troops can and do fight on the frontline, with 20-30 a week dying and being maimed. Very few of Australia's 1400 troops in Iraq are on the frontline and certainly not under daily attack, with several dying and being injured each day. The Australian troops are mostly in support roles (and important ones at that), in mostly safe areas or in areas where most of the Iraqis have respect for the British and Australians.

If Howard is so concerned and convinced that in Obama pulling out American troops by 2008 it will cause the rise of terrorism around the world, and make Australia and the world a far less safer place (a charge he levelled again today in parliament), then why doesn't he commit all the resources and troops he can to fighting the war in Iraq on the frontline?

That is what has happened in all previous wars in which Australia has assisted the US. We fought alongside and often ahead of US troops, more than pulling our weight and often taking more causalities per capita than most, but also inflicting proportionally more damage on the enemy than most other allies. If Iraq is so important to world peace as Howard keeps shrilly saying, then why isn't he more committed to fighting the war on the frontline instead of the tokenism he is now engaged in. Of course the reason is that if Australian troops start dying and being maimed on a regular basis he will lose all public support for his stance and his knows it.

So as Obama said, until Howard commits to fighting the good fight then all his words on Iraq are nothing but empty rhetoric.

Quoted from Paula

I don't think it was a massive gaffe.  It was, however, an unprofessional comment; even though it was his opinion to which he is entitled.

The fact is as the leader of a nation (or any other high ranking position) you cannot make such opinions public. Otherwise you incur the shitstorm that lil Johnny is still wiping off his face after 2 days!

This was another 'true colours' moment for lil john. He couldn't give a rats about the future of the AnUS (Australia n United States) alliance, all he cares about is sharing the big stage with Dubbya, helps him feel important, like a big man.

I've said it before, "little man complex".

Quoted from boomslanger

If Howard is so concerned and convinced that in Obama pulling out American troops by 2008 it will cause the rise of terrorism around the world, and make Australia and the world a far less safer place (a charge he levelled again today in parliament), then why doesn't he commit all the resources and troops he can to fighting the war in Iraq on the frontline?

What, in an election year?? That would be a PR disaster and would jeopardise the only thing lil john cares about in this world, staying Prime Minister.

I don't see the problem. It was said on a television program, not in a speech, and you have to agree with at least part of it.

What part TSS?

I agree with Howard's right to say what "he believes" will happen if the US pulls out of Iraq, but that is not what most others believe, including US General Peter Pace who is in Australia at the moment.

Very few are couching the pull out of America in the terms of the collapse of the free world as Howard is. Some are even speculating that with the American's out of the picture, who are directly and indirectly through their rorting of billions from the Iraqi people, the cause of the current violence, that Iraq after a bloody civil war will find an equilibrium and again become at worst a stable anti al-Qaida autocracy and at best a quasi democracy (having sampled it and liking it).

Btw even if Osama wins the election he can't be president until 2009 so cannot pull his troops out by March 2008.

Quoted from x452

... I've said it before, "little man complex".

Well that's a sweeping generalisation if I ever heard one.  

And the biggest crock I've ever heard.

It was unprofessional of him (is there an echo in here?) but not a massive gaffe and his opinion, just as this is mine.

Does anyone else feel how frenetic all this arguing is getting? . . these are the leaders of the Free World . .and they look like naughty little kids who need a clip around the ears . . election years . . WOMD's never found . . Iran now rattling sabres . . 1/3 of USA budget devoted to the war effort . . with NO end in sight . . Saddam dead . . and civil war all over Iraq (although no official will say those words out loud)  . . it looks to me like 'The Wheels Have Fallen Off' . .     . . * I have kindly left out the local issues we all face with IR laws and drought etc. . . *

Anyone got any answers ???  This poor planet needs them NOW!

Quoted from Paula

Well that's a sweeping generalisation if I ever heard one.  

Huh?  

Not sure if you understand, it doesn't mean ALL short people have the complex, only some.

Quoted Text

Little man complex (aka Napoleon complex, Short Man Complex):

In the fields of psychology and psychoanalysis, Napoleon complex (or Napoleon syndrome) is a colloquial term used to describe a type of inferiority complex suffered by people who are short. The term is also used more generally to describe people who are driven by a perceived handicap to overcompensate in other aspects of their lives.[1] This can sometimes go as far as to lead to acts of violence or will to dominate those that are larger than the short person.

Alfred Adler pioneered the psychological work on inferiority complexes[2], and used Napoléon Bonaparte as an example of someone whom he thought was driven to extremes by a psychological need to compensate for what he saw as a handicap: his small stature.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_complex

Quoted from Paula

It was unprofessional of him (is there an echo in here?) but not a massive gaffe and his opinion, just as this is mine.

John Howard doesn't make unintentional gaffes. His views were very clear. He was quite clearly trying to denigrate Obama and the Democrats, very unprofessional. But what do you expect from a foolish old man?

Quoted from blahNii

it looks to me like 'The Wheels Have Fallen Off' . .     . .
Anyone got any answers ???  This poor planet needs them NOW!

Oh ye of lil faith blahNii, the second coming is nigh my friend, have some faith. The big J (not Howard!) will chime in very shortly and rid the world of evil-doers, restoring it back to the once peaceful place it was, umm, can't remember when. Just ask Gizmo.

Hello to all! What does everybody think of Rudolph Guiliani. I lean to the republican side of things and think he would make a great president. Obama would be good but democrats tend to eat their own and Im sure Hillary would have him in her sights. Hillary seems to divisive for republicans to ever give her a fair go.

Is that the ex mayor of New York? I loved him when he was Mayor and if he was running for anything he would get my vote. Hilary... well there are similarities between her and Margaret Thatcher . Obama, don't know enough about him to comment.  

The Hillary and Obama camps are into the full swing of things with the Hillary cam blasting of its most direct attack yet. Its getting messy already. If one thing destroys the democrats at the next election it will be themselves.

Its official Republican Rudolph Guiliani is running for president and according to latest polls is ahead of

Hillary Clinton
http://www.realclearpolitics.c....._vs_clinton-227.html

And Barack Obama
http://www.realclearpolitics.c.....ni_vs_obama-228.html

Guiliani is the former mayor of New York at the time of the 9/11 attacks.
I think he would make a great American President and seems like the best candidate for the Republican Party.

Quoted Text

Clinton, Obama vie for black voters
US Democratic presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama took to separate church pulpits in Alabama today using a civil rights commemoration to battle for support among the country's crucial black electorate.

I wonder who's ahead on this front, the black man or the white woman  

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21325871-5001028,00.html?from=public_rss

Quoted from The_Pragmatic_One

Guiliani is the former mayor of New York at the time of the 9/11 attacks.
I think he would make a great American President and seems like the best candidate for the Republican Party.

Why's that?