(Former Aust PM) Keating to US: Labor won't be bullied

[rooboy]

US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage's claim that the Labor Party was divided over Iraq policy was thuggish and dumb, former Labor prime minister Paul Keating said today.

Mr Armitage said Opposition Leader Mark Latham's policy of withdrawing Australian troops from Iraq by Christmas had divided the ALP.

But Mr Keating denied there was any division in the party over Iraq policy and said Mr Armitage had made an unwarranted and untimely partisan intervention in the Australian political debate.

"Beating up on friendly foreign political parties is not only unsightly, it is also dumb and counter productive in the longer term," Mr Keating said in a statement to AAP.

"There is no division in the Labor Party about the value or maintenance of the US alliance nor about policy on Iraq.

"But the party will not be thugged by US officials.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/08/1089000272020.html?oneclick=true

[natrat]

1. like 2nd rate

high school athletes tangling with world class runners---typical shrub

[mom cat]

2. The world is getting sick of thugish, dumb bullies.

[louis c]

3. Hey rooboy,

when is the Ausie election?

I'm hoping that Howard, Berlasconi, and Blair go down for their blind support of the Asshole in the White House.

I'd like to see every democracy shun this President and his administration, so we can get some real leadership that will engender respect from other countries.

[rooboy]

4. Elections don't have a fixed date in Australia...

the PM has until the end of his term to call an election, which probably means it will be near the end of this year (probably October).

He tried to get a ratings boost in the last few weeks by sending families $600 per child amongst other things, with the intention of calling an election in August. But he didn't get the bounce in the polls he wanted, and is backing off until the end of the year.

[louis c]

6. Thanks.

If he could run and lose before November, we could get a bounce.

[schultzee]

5. Ditto!