Howard's Victory: Good News for Bush, Blair

[obby]

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/australasia/story.jsp?story=570731

Howard's double win cheers war leaders

By Helen O'Neill in Sydney

11 October 2004

An Australian government is close to having complete legislative control for the first time in more than two decades today, after voters delivered a positive verdict on John Howard's support for the war in Iraq. The result means that troops from Australia, a leading member of George Bush's "coalition of the willing", will remain in Iraq for the foreseeable future.

Mr Howard, beginning his fourth term as Prime Minister with a likely majority of 86 seats to Labor's 61 in the 150-seat lower house, also looked likely to secure control of the Senate, making him the first prime minister since Malcolm Fraser to be in a position to get legislation through both houses without having to win the support of independents or other parties.

At worst, the governing coalition will have 38 of the 76 seats in the Senate, and may well win the clinching 39th in Queensland. Otherwise, it should be able to rely on the vote of the evangelical-based Family First party, which appears to have won the sixth Victorian seat, on most issues. The exact composition of the Senate is unlikely to be known for a fortnight.

President George Bush took time out of his own electoral campaign to congratulate his "good friend" Mr Howard on a historic fourth-term victory. Mr Bush, who is facing heavy criticism in the United States after last week's damning weapons report, was reportedly relieved by the result, telephoning Mr Howard almost immediately. Tony Blair also called Mr Howard with congratulations.

The triumph returned the Howard-led coalition of Liberals and the rural National Party to power with their second increased majority in two elections. It puts Mr Howard two months shy of becoming Australia's second-longest serving prime minister and dramatically changes Australia's political landscape.

The Greens became Australia's third political force, replacing the Democrats by increasing their share to 7 per cent, a two-point rise on 2001.

Mr Howard, who avoided discussing the war in Iraq before the vote, emphasised Australia's "stand against terrorism" in his victory speech on Saturday night. While campaigning, he had shrugged off suggestions that he has made Australia "less safe" by becoming involved in the invasion of Iraq, where 900 Australian troops remain deployed. The opposition leader, Mark Latham, had pledged to have them home by Christmas.

Mr Howard is now expected to turn his attention closer to home. He wants to talk soon to the Indonesian president-elect, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Australia is on the hit list of al-Qa'ida's south-east Asian arm, Jemaah Islamiyah, and Mr Howard's support for tackling terrorist threats with pre-emptive military strikes in neighbouring nations has left many in the region nervous.

Today, Mr Howard will set out his agenda for the coming three-year term. Control of both houses of parliament will allow him to push through several stalled bills, including one getting rid of unfair dismissal laws.

The big question, one the 65-year-old leader is unlikely to address, is how long he will remain in office.

[ou812]

I thought this thread was going to be about Howard Dean

[obby]

That's a funny link bro. Good one.

My point is that many liberals spent allot of money supporting Mark Latham, the opposition leader. Including Kerry's sister (millions) which tells me that polls don't mean shit. The majority of the polls favored Mark Latham to win by a land slide and the total opposite took place. I truly believe Bush will win in the same manner. Regardless of what recent polls show I know when it comes down to that day, may liberals will think about their families prior to pressing that button and many will secretly vote for Bush while at the same time expressing the opposite.