Issues related to war in Iraq help define election in Australia
SYDNEY -- On one side is the incumbent, a conservative career politician who steadfastly defends his decision to send troops to Iraq.
On the other side is an aggressive challenger a generation younger who calls the war a mistake and pledges to bring home most of the troops by Christmas.
Australia's voters will decide tomorrow which of the two should lead their country: John Howard, a shrewd three-term prime minister who has closely allied himself with President Bush, or Mark Latham.
Polls indicate Howard, 65, is holding a slim lead over Latham, 43. For most Australians, the election is expected to turn on the question of the economy, which should be an advantage for the Liberal Party incumbent since Australia has enjoyed a prolonged period of growth during his 8 years at the helm.
Nevertheless, Latham, who once referred to Bush as ''the most incompetent and dangerous president in living memory," has attracted considerable support by presenting himself as the candidate of change.
He has promised to maintain the nation's strong economy, provide greater opportunities for working people, and bring Australia's roughly 850 soldiers home from the war zone.
''The whole thing is much closer than anyone predicted," said Greg Lindsay, who is director of the Centre for Independent Studies, a conservative think tank in Sydney. ''Iraq will be an issue, but it will not be the deciding issue. Things like the movement of interest rates are very important."
The Bush administration has seen one key ally in the war driven from office: Jos Maria Aznar, prime minister of Spain, was defeated in March elections by Jos Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who then pulled his nation's 1,300 troops out of Iraq.
At the White House, the possibility that another ally could be ousted before the US presidential election Nov. 2 has sparked such concern that top administration officials have assailed Latham's plan to withdraw troops.
Underlying the debate is Australia's ambivalence over its relationship with one of its most important allies. Australians value their independence but also know that friendship with the United States is essential to their security.
