But Prime Minister John Howard has accused Mr Latham of hypocrisy.
He has described Mr Latham's response to US criticism as "super sensitive".
"Mark Latham himself with his attack on Bush when he said he was the most dangerous and incompetent American president in living memory was hardly being diplomatic and gentle," Mr Howard said.
"This is very much another case of it's okay for Mark Latham to blaze away but if somebody returns the fire, so to speak, then that's wrong."
