Little Green Footballs comments:
John Kerry’s sister has gone to Australia, to tell the Australian people that the Howard government’s alliance with the Bush administration is putting them in danger. (Hat tip: Captain’s Quarters.)This is certainly a new low for the Kerryites—undermining our alliances in the Iraq War while the war is going on, and pandering to the appeasement crowd in a blatant attempt to influence the Australian elections. I can’t say I’m shocked, but it does qualify as the outrage of the day.
How this would be different from the numerous attempts by the Bush administration to influence the Australian election (and other foreign elections) I don't know.
In case LGF didn't notice, there's an election on in Australia too. George Bush has given everything short of an endorsement to the current Prime Minister, John Howard.
That's hardly surprising, given Mark Latham's comments that Bush was dangerously incompetent.
There has always been, and always will be, sharing of advice, strategy and personnel between parties of a like mind in different countries. Anyone who thinks that Latham and Kerry don't secretly want each other to win, and likewise with Howard and Bush has been under a rock the last 2 years.
But, it's bad form all around, on both sides of the ocean, and both sides of the aisle for current politicians to be actively commenting and participating in each other's elections.
Right now I'd put my money [just] on Latham and Bush winning, but both elections are so close it could go any which way, and people will have to learn to get along.
Australia's relationship with Indonesia is more important than it was before September 11th; it is a crucial and close relationship between a Western [regional] power and the world's largest Muslim democracy; a country trying to solidify a tolerant, democratic society.
Thus, the American relationship with Australia is valuable, far over and above the Iraq troops they have committed.
Posted by robe0419 at September 20, 2004 5:43 PM