Put up or shut up, Obama tells Howard

news.com.au ^ | 12th February 2007

[naturalman1975]

US presidential candidate Barack Obama has told Prime Minister John Howard to put up or shut up. Mr Obama, speaking at a packed press conference in Iowa today, said if MrHoward was concerned about the situation in Iraq he should send 20,000 Australian troops to the strife-torn nation.

The Illinois senator added that if Mr Howard did not send the troops, then the prime minister's attack on the Democrat presidential hopeful's Iraq policy was "empty rhetoric''.

"I would also note that we have close to 140,000 troops on the ground now and my understanding is that Mr Howard has deployed 1400,''Mr Obama, who next year could become the first African American to be elected US president, said.

"So, if he's ginned up to fight the good fight in Iraq, I would suggest he calls up another 20,000 Australians and sends them up to Iraq.

"Otherwise, it's just a bunch of empty rhetoric.''

Mr Howard sparked the war of words yesterday when he took the extraordinary step of declaring that he hoped Mr Obama did not become president of the US, and that his election would be disastrous for the war on terrorism.

Mr Howard said Mr Obama's plan to pull America's combat brigades out of Iraq by March 31, 2008, was a strategy that would "destabilise and destroy Iraq, and create chaos and a victory for the terrorists''.

"If I were running al-Qaeda in Iraq, I would put a circle around March 2008 and be praying as many times as possible for a victory, not only for Obama but also for the Democrats,'' Mr Howard said.

[neverhillorat]

Please Senator Obabamba, keep talking. Some of your advisor's might tell you to cool it, don`t listen to them. Keep throwing rocks at our allies while the troops from America and Australia try to win the war. That will get you a bunch of votes in the Rat primaries but might be a problem a little later.

[neverhillorat]

The Aussie`s are not Bush`s allies, they are America`s allies.

[nctexan]

"Wow, Ears must be eating his Wheaties lately."

You must be confused. I've been watching CNN all weekend and they said he was brilliant, a visionary, an agent of change, a unifier, Abraham Lincoln (but I thought he was dead?), and the first African/Afro/whatcha-ma-call-it/American president ever.

Howard must be way off base.

[Gumdrop]

Pulease - do not assign Obama to Minnesota. We already have that idiot Keith Ellison. Our junior Senator is Norm Coleman, not the best conservative but a whole lot better than Obama.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

Prime Minister Howard has every reason to wonder about Rats (formerly the traditional, patriotic Democratic Party). As an ally of the U.S. IMO he has every right to worry about the direction of his super power partner.

Besides, BJ was doing a little of our laundry in Australia -- the Rats have plans to diminish America but there is still a majority that don't.

Bill Clnton spoke to the 2002 World Congress on the Peaceful Reunification of China and World Peace in Sydney, Australia, BJ said that America's "pre-eminent military, economic and political power would not last."

"This is just a period," he said, "a few decades this will last . . . how would we like to be treated when we no longer have this pre-eminent position and we have to work in a cooperative fashion with others to a far greater extent than we have to do today."

We should be concerned also, very concerned. Thank you, Prime Minister Howard.

[Mears]

As my Irish mother-in-law would say,"This Obama fellah seems to be full of himself".

[Nervous Tick]

Obama will be president only in the fever swamps of his own mind. (And the minds of his syncophants in the press.)

By the way... from your homepage:

I served in my country's military for over twenty years. I've seen what evil is and what evil can do, and I know which countries are evil, and which aren't. And too much of the media seems to get confused about this nowadays.

Please accept this Yank's humble gratitude for your service and for your family's sacrifice... and for the true words you have spoken.

[Migraine]

If a REPUBLICAN made that gross a mathematical error, it would be headline news for a week.

And what about the offending of the ONLY country that has never let us down; nice diplomacy, hussein!

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

And they are some big Osama Obama has. Plenty of wetness behind there.

[PhilDragoo]

Hussein Obama Twelfth Imam needs a brain implant as a follow-on to his chin implant.

The corrupt Muslim liar dares mock a staunch ally in this very real fight--for noting the obvious.

Democrats want to cut and run in Iraq, so Hussein Obama's playground taunt falls flat.

Democrats--notably the Clinton Janus--failed to act against the terrorist attacks of Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda, Iran in the WTC I bombing, Mogadishu (full flight), Khobar Towers, African Embassy bombings, USS Cole.

Obama has experience in combat? Obama has sent Illinois troops to fight in Indiana or Iowa?

No, Obama has bought a fine house and had a political fixer give him the adjacent property.

Obama isn't a knife.

Now, John Howard--that's a knife!

[Obie Wan]

"Otherwise, it's just a bunch of empty rhetoric.''

Well this guy would know empty rhetoric when he hears it. As a matter of fact ALL democraps operate in the world of empty rhetoric !!!

[Porterville]

I hope Obama keeps opening his fat mouth.... he can't seem to shut up now that the attention is on him...

Could he be channeling Dean?...Will we have another scream heard around the world? Judging from Obama's behavior it will be a fit of rage.... go Obama go... feel the rage.

[devolve]

Good post Phil

[Beagle8U]

"and the first African/Afro/whatcha-ma-call-it/American president ever."

Would that be Halfrican American?

[mkjessup]

If Barack Hussein Obama wants to go one-on-one with Australia's John Howard, he'll find himself neutered without mercy.

To paraphrase Sir Winston Churchill:

'An empty limousine pulled up outside of Capitol Hill, and Barack Obama got out.'

The lightest of lightweights, Obama will be to this election cycle what Howard Dean was in the last one.

All mouth, and no substance.

[RunningWolf]

Wow, this 'bama character sure knows how to make our allies feel good about the US commitment in this WOT /sarc>

[TheLion]

"The Aussie`s are not Bush`s allies, they are America`s allies."

I was wondering about that comment myself when he first used it. Does this mean he doesn't consider himself an American or is he just plain ignorant?

[gwbiny2k]

Barack Hussein Obama just proved his poor math skills.
Australia's population is what? 20.26 million!
USA population is.....298.44 million.

Simple math tells you if USA has 140,000 troops in Iraq,
Australia would need only 8000 more troops NOT 20,000 more
troops. Mr B.O. is just a dumb liburral!

[TheLion]

"Obama has told Prime Minister John Howard to put up or shut up. Mr Obama, speaking at a packed press conference in Iowa today, said if MrHoward was concerned about the situation in Iraq he should send 20,000 Australian troops to the strife-torn nation."

Not quite and argument that helps Obama get out of his getting ripped! Not even close.