Howard and Bush in the blue corner, Latham and Garrett in the red corner. There has not been a more important Australian election in my life. Some context on the “Beds are Burning” election:

In 2001 the fear politics was headlined “WE will decide who comes to this country and the circumstances in which they come”. In 2004, it is “We will do everything the Republican Americans tell us to because we hope that if we do they’ll look after us in the course of their endless empire wars”. This time, it’s Latham who might defiantly assert: “WE will decide when we go to war and the circumstances in which we go and leave”.

Richard Armitage, US Deputy Secretary of State, who has made the US Administration’s feelings known about Latham’s policies, made this comment last night: “I don’t like to put numbers on what an individual or what a crusade is worth.”

Crusade. Language is a two-headed snake.