Obama fires back at Australian PM

In a strongly worded foray into US politics, Mr Howard said an Obama victory in the presidential election would be disastrous for the war on terrorism.

“I think he’s wrong. I think that will just encourage those who want to completely destabilise and destroy Iraq, and create chaos and a victory for the terrorists to hang on and hope for an Obama victory,” Mr Howard said on Channel 9.

“If I were running al-Qaeda in Iraq, I would put a circle around March 2008 and be praying as many times as possible for a victory not only for Obama but also for the Democrats.”…

Mr Howard said the US could not win the Iraq war before March 2008, so an Obama victory would mean defeat for America.

“If America pulls out of Iraq in March 2008 it can only be in circumstances of defeat,” Mr Howard said. “There’s no way by March 2008, which is a little over a year from now, everything will have been stabilised so that America can get out.

Reuters reports that Barack Obama also had a sharp response for Australian Prime Minister John Howard, a Bush ally who said Obama’s proposals would create chaos in the Middle East.

“I think that will just encourage those who want to completely destabilize and destroy Iraq, and create chaos and a victory for the terrorists to hang on and hope for an Obama victory,” Howard said on Nine Network television.

Obama said it was “flattering” for a Bush ally to attack him the day after he formally launched his presidential bid but noted Australia had contributed 1,400 troops to the war compared to 140,000 U.S. troops.

“If he’s ginned up to fight the good fight in Iraq I would suggest that he calls up another 20,000 Australians and send them to Iraq,” he said. “Otherwise it’s just a bunch of empty rhetoric.”

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