Hugh White is a visiting fellow at the Lowy Institute of International Policy in Sydney, and professor of strategic studies at the Australian National University.
In a piece in this week's Newsweek White seeks to put into context for the magazine's world-wide readership PM Howard's attack on Democractic Party presidential candidate Barack Obama.
"Howard's statement broke a golden rule of diplomacy—never comment on an upcoming election in a friendly country—and earned him a sardonic rebuke from Obama, who pointed out that for all of Howard's tough talk, Australia has sent a mere 1,400 troops to Iraq. This uncharacteristic misstep from such a grizzled political operator had a fairly simple explanation: Howard is expected to call an election of his own, probably later this year, and figured taking a swing at Obama would play well in his staunchly, even uniquely pro-American country. Only he figured wrong; the normally self-assured Howard is becoming rattled, and it shows."
In a piece in this week's Newsweek White seeks to put into context for the magazine's world-wide readership PM Howard's attack on Democractic Party presidential candidate Barack Obama.
"Howard's statement broke a golden rule of diplomacy—never comment on an upcoming election in a friendly country—and earned him a sardonic rebuke from Obama, who pointed out that for all of Howard's tough talk, Australia has sent a mere 1,400 troops to Iraq. This uncharacteristic misstep from such a grizzled political operator had a fairly simple explanation: Howard is expected to call an election of his own, probably later this year, and figured taking a swing at Obama would play well in his staunchly, even uniquely pro-American country. Only he figured wrong; the normally self-assured Howard is becoming rattled, and it shows."
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