IamanidiotJones, You say Howard has backbone and I say he only has backbone when it suits him and that is rarely demonstrated by him anyway. My opinion. You obviously see no wrong with him as Australia's P.M. That being the case you seem quite satisfied with his leadership and his judgement in recent months. What I am saying is that perhaps Costello would have taken a different and more popular stance rather than pander to the Yanks. Isn't it ironical that the great demon "Osama" was the great hunted terrorist leader, no matter what! he was going to be hunted "dead or alive" we got on side to help the Yanks but it all got too hard and another un finished job by U.S.A. at a great cost to this country.
So where next? all of a sudden, again, Saadam was to become the focal point,the Terrorist, and we once again we have fallen for Bush's rhetoric! Most people know why that "change of tactics" happened and most worldly people on this earth know full well why. America thinks only of itself (and has ulterior motives)so why should we be following with our support to a country that has a track record for leaving many of its threats and actions as unfinished business. Firepower? Yes they have that! Intelligence? Sadly lacking! They consider themselves as the worlds smartest race but many others in the world let them believe it and yet they are flat out stamping out terrorism from within their own country by their own citizens. And you want to mention gun laws!
