How is demanding Australia send more troops while arguing that troops should be withdrawn deft? Seems inconsistent to me.

He simply pointed out that Howard agrees with him.

jd, did you hear the audio clip of Obama's reply?

I literally laughed out loud; it sounded like he was having a stroke.

He stuttered and stammered for a full five seconds before he could finally produce this sad, ridiculous response.

Hillary! is going to eat him alive.

Leave it to my man Wretchard:

http://fallbackbelmont.blogspot.com/2007/02/john-howard-versus-barack-obama.html

I hope our Canadian friend, Mr. Harper, jumps in and supports Mr. Howard.

Howard can win the exchange if he agrees to send troops for the surge. Harper could send a Canadian to Iraq1 and increase their contingent times googleplex.

Since the Australian Army only has 25,000 active and 15,000 reserves, I don't think they could send 20,000. It would in effect be the entire army. If George Bush said something so silly, he would be ridiculed for months.

So it might be a witty response, it is likely typical of what substance we can expect from him. Heaven help the US if he gets elected.

Man, it's hard to decide who's more lame: Obama or Edwards. When team Hillary is done with these two, they'll both be singing saprano for the rest of their lives.

Man, it's hard to decide who's more lame: Obama or Edwards. When team Hillary is done with these two, they'll both be singing soprano for the rest of their lives.

Hillary's so far out in front in the polls, she could take a job with Fox News and still get the Dem nomination.

How many additional men is Australia sending?

OJ - Howard and Australia have done way more than Obama regarding the WOT. Don't give Obama points simply because you don't agree with the surge.

Obama scored a point off Howard, not off those who are actually supporting the surge.

I eagerly await the attack from the junior senator from IL on those foreign leaders who savage the US for greenhouse emissions while doing nothing about their own.

His description of Howard as "George Bush's ally" shows what a pathetic man BHO is, and what a vile cesspool the contemporary Democrat party is.

Mr. Howard has a proclivity for foot in mouth. Mr Howard and his buddies say Australia cannot send a large contingent of troops due to the small size of the Australian army. Mr. Howard in keeping with that reality should have spoken in in a small tiny voice. Or better not spoken at all. Don't try roaring on the global stage if you do not have the means to do so. Someone some day will call the bluff and damage our long term interests. Put up or shut up.

More like Obama 0.

Obama just shot himself in the foot with that remark.

Australia, an ally to Bush only? Was Bush around during WW2? Vietnam? Somalia? Stupid remark.

Calling for Australia to send more troops was also stupid. Like someone has said, their resources are tiny, they don't have vast amounts of money to spend on war. Their forces are spread out in many regions of the world. 1400 is reasonable, considering they have a vast majority committed to UN peace keeping and other parts of the world.

Can anyone say foreign relations? If he can't handle foreign relations how can he be President.

Their resources are ample--the will is weak.

Mr. Howard is incompetent in matters of foreign policy. And he is crude in his remarks. The comment about Obama is not the only instance. In the past Mr. Howard has made a number of inane, and ill-informed crude remarks about foreign leaders and countries. Mr. Howard would have shown leadership and intelligence if he had been candid in counselling the US about the risks of going to war without a plan. Instead he follows Bush mindlessly bleating away at anyone who raises intelligent concerns.