Obama Criticizes Australian Prime Minister

Barack Obama rips Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, after Howard suggests Obama would be popular among terrorist leaders because of his promise to recall troops from Iraq if he wins.

The Democratic presidential hopeful said if the Australian prime minister was "ginned up to fight the good fight in Iraq," he needs to send another 20,000 Australians to the war.

"Otherwise, it's just a bunch of empty rhetoric," Obama said.

In addition, Australian political opponent Kevin Rudd warned Prime Minister Howard that he should take care not to strain the 65 year alliance that has existed between the U.S. and Australia. Kevin Rudd. The ACNielsen poll in the Age and Sydney Morning Herald newspapers has found Mr Rudd is the most popular Opposition leader in the past 35 years.

Criticism toward Howard has come from both Republicans and Democrats in the U.S.

Senator Jon Cornyn, a Texas Republican, said Howard should have kept quiet. "I would prefer that Mr. Howard stay out of our domestic politics, and we'll stay out of his domestic politics," Cornyn said. Ron Wyden, Democratic Senator from Oregon said "We'll make our own judgments in this country with respect to elections" after saying Howard's comment is at best "bizarre".

I'm disgusted a world diplomat would assume directive in a situation where his contributions, even as "significant" as he claims them to be, are meager compared to the 140,000 troops the United States has allocated to Iraq. Australia currently has 1,400 troops in and around Iraq, mostly in non combat roles. Even at the height of the Iraq war Australia had fewer soldiers than we've had die in Iraq to date.

Howard tried to claim 1,400 troops is significant considering the Australian population. Unfortunately he understands ratios just as well as he understands staying out of another country's politics. We a population of 300 million people vs his 20,000,000. 15:1 ratio right? We have 140,000 troops to his 1,400. 100:1 ratio. Does anyone see me not smiling? He owes us 8,000 more troops before I'll declare a "significant contribution". Even that won't be enough after Bush's surge.

Howard doesn't seem to understand that he is interfering with the election process of the United States. When critics from his own country said it was inappropriate for the Prime Minister to comment as he did Howard mistakenly drew parallels to Opposition criticism of George Bush in 2003, when he was already an established national leader. Considering the Prime Minster's ties to George Bush, his similar lack of discerning and status as a national leader, he has no business making comments pertaining to our elections.