We'll Bring Troops Home, says Latham

[Matilda]

From The Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday 24th March:

"A Labor government would bring Australia's troops in Iraq home by
Christmas, Mark Latham has promised, while lambasting the conflict
as a folly that has increased the risk of terrorism."

..............

"Underlying Mr Latham's decision is a growing belief in Labor ranks,
fuelled by polling, that Iraq could be a winner for the Opposition
in the elction.

"If a federal election is held this year, say the election was in
September and there was a change of government, we would be hoping
to have (the troops) back by Christmas, certainly," Mr Latham said
yesterday.

............

After a Newspoll that found 65 percent of voters believed that
Iraq increased the risk of terrorist attack in Australia, Mr
Latham used his strongest language so far on the war, branding it
a folly, a mistake and a "side alley"."

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/03/23/1079939647048.html


John Howard can call the election any time until March 2005, but it's
generally thought it will probably be about October, because if
Bush looks like losing in November, the fallout would be bad for
Howard.

[wryter2000]

1. Ah-ha. Now Blair's move-up of his own election makes sense

John Howard can call the election any time until March 2005, but it's generally thought it will probably be about October, because if
Bush looks like losing in November, the fallout would be bad for
Howard.

This explains why Blair has moved elections to October.

[acmavm]

2. I think that no matter when Blair holds elections, he's gonna be looking

for a new job. The British are pretty fed up it seems. Plus their little Iraqi war chest is going belly up. I hesitate to think that they are going to want to dump a lot more money into this losing proposition.

As for Howard, I think he's gone no matter what.

[Matilda]

3. Howard will very likely go. Blair - I'm not sure.

There doesn't seem to be a replacement for him in his own party,
and Michael Howard has yet to make his voice heard. I don't think
the Brits trust Blair any more, but they're very pragmatic, and
may well continue to put up with him until somebody stronger comes
along.

They grumbled about Thatcher for years, but kept voting her back,
something I could never understand. Of course, voting isn't
compulsory in the U.K. either, and I think conservatives are more
likely to vote than progressives if they don't actually have to go
to the polls, so you end up with a party elected by 20-30% of the
adult population, and then everyone complains.

[Name removed]

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