The Australians, and New Zealanders, were technically our allies in WWI as well, being part of the British Commonwealth. As a result of the butchery at Gallipoli, the ANZAC forces suffered brutally in WWI, and ever since Australia has generally been highly hesitant about involvement in any war. Churchill was critical of the Australian government for refusing to institute conscription AFTER Pearl Harbor. This makes the Australian vote all the more significant.

Perhaps the Aussie have been loyals allies is that we fought side by side during WWII. Many Americans were stationed in Australia during the war. Our navy played a big part stopping the japanese advance that may have ended up with australia under japanese occupation.

Our canadians friends to the north, besides the great french influence in quebec which is anti american, never have been under the threat of occupation by another country. it makes a difference.

The BBC is downplaying the victory as being based on economics - which not-so-coincidentally neither Blair nor Bush have in their favor. I wonder if the families and friends of the Bali casualties voted on the basis of economics, too.

Consider the source.

10/9/04

"the war is less popular in Australia than here at home..."

We have only the news media's assurance of this theirs and ours). Australians are a very independent and deliberate people. They only do what they want to do. If Mr. Howard won the election with greater support than he had before, the Australian people really wanted him as their leader. They didn't forget the war at the polls; it almost certainly brought them to the polls ready to vote for Mr. Howard. We are lucky and blest to have allies of the quality of the Australian people. God bless them.

Lonnie Kendall

The ballot box: where we separate the men from the Spaniards.

Anzac troops were on the Western Front as well. Here's one Dough who was glad for it.

Yes! Lets hear it for the boys from down under!

Even the Japanese love them, in these days. It would be so great if Americans Australia for close neighbors instead of Canadia.

Just think of the surfing!