Howard handed historic free rein to set agenda
Internationally the most important immediate consequence of the vote was that Australia will keep its troops in Iraq - a presence that defeated opposition leader Mark Latham had vowed to end if he had won the election.
US President George W. Bush was quick to hail Howard’s victory - his fourth consecutive poll win. “Australia is a great ally in the war on terror, and John Howard is the right man to lead that country,” Bush said.
