BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Australia head slams US candidate

Australian PM John Howard has criticised US presidential hopeful Barack Obama for saying US troops should withdraw from Iraq next year. His comments came soon after Mr Obama officially announced he would seek the Democratic Presidential nomination.

Mr Howard said al-Qaeda should be "praying as many times as possible" for an Obama victory in the 2008 elections.

But Mr Obama reacted by saying Australia should increase its troops in Iraq, if Mr Howard was so concerned.

That crack about al-Qaeda praying for an Obama victory: pure asshattedness, with the side brim flipped up all Oz-like. However, it seems that Sen. Obama can give better than he gets.