(On Obama's proposal for troop withdrawal)
PRIME Minister John Howard has refused to back down from his attack on US presidential hopeful Barack Obama, vowing to do the same again if it's in the nation's best interests.
A strident Mr Howard yesterday refused to retract his claim that a victory by Senator Obama at next year's US election would be a win for terrorists.
"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."
31 comments
US troops in Iraq: 144,000 with, if Bush has his druthers, another 21,000 on the way.
Austrailian troops in Iraq: 1,400.
The US has lost more than twice as many troops as Aus even has in the country.
Pretty much says it all.
Bunyip, I personally don't think that any government has the right to interfere in the political processes of another soverign nation, but it's pretty obvious Bush and the current US administration doesn't agree with me, isn't it?
As far as PM Howard goes, he is certainly entitled to his opinion, and I don't see how this quote is in any way, really, fundie. It's opinionated and a bit on the combative side, but not fundie.
I think people got upset about the comment he made because the war here in the US is very, very unpopular. more than 75% of the US population thinks the war is going badly, and more than half want the troops brought home.
But yeah, it would be pretty hypocritical for the US to cry foul about another world leader making his opinion known...
Broken Egg : Al Qaeda in Iraq is a different organization than Al Qaeda, from what I understand. The one that calls itself "in Iraq" is, at best, a splinter group that spun off of bin Laden's organization. I'll try to find some citations, if you like.
Eugh, it's rather wretched when our dickhead PM gets involved in US politics. At least the moron is getting blasted here in the media, which is a nice change. Little Johnny Howard is like George W Bush, He loves teh fundies. (Hillsong for example). But meh, Howie is a fundie fuck, his cabinet is full of right wing christians like Tony FUCKING Abbott, who thinks his faith can influence public policy grrr. I'm ranting now, I shall cease.
I tell you what, if Howard is still PM when a Democrat President takes office, he's going to look very, very, foolish. Way to piss off your biggest ally, dude.
It wasn't about meddling in US politics. John Howard was getting uncomfortable with the way the global warming/carbon trading discussions were going over the last couple of weeks. So, he changed the topic, trying to get the leader of the opposition to commit himself one way or another on the withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Bringing in the US politics was a part of that.
Howard is no fundie. He's a jerk (and a very clever politician and manipulator), but no fundie.
I agree that Howard is more a jerk then a fundie... but he's certainly fundie-esque he's happy to court the extremist vote to stay in power. (Look at all the wheeling and dealing with the exclusive brethren).
On behalf of all sane Australians, to all sane Americans, I apologise for the revolting weasel that my countrymen have seen fit to elect as prime minister.
Shemjaza: Considering the stupendously arrogant fool that we've elected president, TWICE, I don't think you need to apologize to us for a thing. We'll be eating crow over this administration's misdeeds for decades.
~David D.G.
Howard really needs to fire every single policy advisor he owns immediately. His conservatism this term really has taking on an extraordinarily religious bent.
For instance, this excerpt is him from the introduction in a DVD released by an extremist Christian group that is currently being sued for racial vilification of Muslims.
...It's also a time to reaffirm our commitment to shared values and our abiding loyalty to our nation, Australia.
Christianity has been an enormous force for good and has done more than anything else to shape the lives, not only of millions of Australians, but the character of our nation.
I congratulate Catch the Fire Ministries for bringing Christians from many denominations together for this celebration and I wish you all a very happy Australia Day.
(nit pick - he should've said "to shape, not only the lives" --- actually he should've shut up but that's another point)
If that's his point of view, no wonder he refuses to apologise for atrocities like the stolen generation!
One factor might be that he controls both houses at the moment, so he doesn't have to curb his zeal the way he used to. The fact that a motion to censure him for the stupidity of this outburst failed upon party lines speaks volumes!
It is truly disturbing to see US religious right polemics and strawmen continually surfacing at the highest levels of Australian Government through Abbott and Costello (wish I was kidding with the names) and little Winnie here! Things that are so patently absurd they don't even get an airing on Fox (I'd like to think) and yet they're continually being parroted to the media here and lapped up by the ignorant.
He lied abyssmally to get re-elected, and when he did so with an increased majority the first thing he did was pass some Draconian IR laws that threw the country back 40 years and if he'd even whispered these in the election he would've had his ass kicked to Timbuktoo, yet they came straight into Law. He's currently getting absolutely smashed in the polls too - nothing as pitiful as Bush, but the further he deviates from reality the harder it will get for him.
He really has backed himself into a corner though and he's desperately trying to motivate a religious supporter base - this is doomed to failure as Australians do not possess the same insane levels of religiousity as your average American, not to mention voting in Australia is mandatory, so it's not about inspiring a minority group to achieve 100% participation and get them over the line - you truly need broad voter backing, and the public isn't going to fall for the "lesser of two evils" crap he snuck through with last election with and then proceded to show his true colours!
He needs to fire his advisors immediately! The damage is done, but at least it will minimise the damage and embarrassment to the Nation until the next election. The little turd also needs to hand over to Costello, just so he can claim he was never defeated and blame Costello for losing the election.
US troops in Iraq: 144,000 with, if Bush has his druthers, another 21,000 on the way.
Austrailian troops in Iraq: 1,400.
The US has lost more than twice as many troops as Aus even has in the country.
Pretty much says it all.
Just pointing out that Australia has a population of 20 million, America has 300 million, so, you know, this may be worth considering before throwing around disparaging remarks about Australian troop numbers
@Julian
Howard really needs to fire every single policy advisor he owns immediately. His conservatism this term really has taking on an extraordinarily religious bent. Why would he fire the goons who do his bidding?
For instance, this excerpt is him from the introduction in a DVD released by an extremist Christian group that is currently being sued for racial vilification of Muslims. Don't get me wrong here. I am against stereotype and prejudice, but to get the state involved because you or your people got offended is ridiculous. Somehow, people today feel like they have the right to "Not be offended".
@Shemp Howard...It's also a time to reaffirm our commitment to shared values and our abiding loyalty to our nation, Australia.
Christianity has been an enormous force for good and has done more than anything else to shape the lives, not only of millions of Australians, but the character of our nation.
I congratulate Catch the Fire Ministries for bringing Christians from many denominations together for this celebration and I wish you all a very happy Australia Day. If he truly said this, then he is a traitor to the Liberal Party, and everything that it stood for. Classic Liberalism was explicitly rooted in seperation of church and state, as well as religious neutrality. The merger of the two has always brought trouble on a consistent basis. No good has EVER come out of it.
He needs to fire his advisors immediately! If they were just obeying his will, then he will not fire them. In this case, it is Howard who should be removed.
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
Al Qaida is too busy congratulating the ones who started the war in the first place and gave them their new home.
Confused?
So were we! You can find all of this, and more, on Fundies Say the Darndest Things!
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