The last few days have been an interesting case study in relations between the political elites of the USA and Australia.

NOTE: What follows is a paraphrase unless I have linked to a speech or other reference.

First, Barack Obama announced his candidacy for the Presidency of the USA. In his speech he announced a plan to get all of the USA's troops out of Iraq by March 2008. (How can he do that, by the way?)

Next, the Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, commented unfavourably on this plan. *The man and the country are staunch allies of George Walker Bush and the USA.

O, bummer! This caused such a media furore in Australia, and to a lesser extent the USA.

Then, Obama said that John Howard should send another 20,000 troops from Australia if he was really serious.

O, bummer! This fuelled the media furore in Australia, and to a lesser extent the USA.

Then, the Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament of Australia, Kevin Rudd, spoke out against the Howard pronouncements. O, bumber! This further fuelled the media furore in Australia, and to a lesser extent the USA.

What makes this really tiresome is the numbers.

                        USA       Australia

Population              301m      20.55m

Military (inc Reserve)    2.686m   0.070648m

Military (Regular)        1.427m   0.051151m

Military (in Iraq)        0.145m   0.0014m

These statistics seem to say that Australia's contribution of around 1,400 to Iraq is a drop in the ocean compared to the USA's 146,000. That would seem right. Then, the Australian involvement (0.344% of the population) is well worth comparing to USA's military involvement (0.892% of the population.) Who started this, anyway?

Now, while 20,000 extra troops is only an extra 13.7% of the current involvement from the USA, that's an extra 1428% of the Australian involvement.

O, bummer.

_____
Peter