Mr. Rudd Goes To Washington

KEVIN Rudd will land in Washington today and encounter an atmosphere vastly different to that of a year ago when he first visited as Prime Minister. Then, George Bush was president, Barack Obama was fighting Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination, and the global economic crisis was barely a blip on the radar.

Whether or not the issue of Fiji comes to the forefront of discussion is any one's guess. However the subject of the global economy will undoubtedly be the centre piece of the agenda, coupled with Australia's commitment to provide troops for the surge in Afghanistan.

Australian casualities have risen recently and whether the nation in general has an appetite for more will certainly factor in to the calculus; against the back drop of disdain, for any continuation of John Howard's policies.

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