Howard rival concedes electoral defeat

Australian Prime Minister John Howard scored a stunning victory in his country’s federal election today, in a vote that will ensure Australia keeps its troops in Iraq.

With more than 60% of the vote tallied, Labour Party leader Mark Latham conceded defeat in a speech to supporters in western Sydney, saying he had called Howard to congratulate him on his fourth straight election victory.

“Tonight was not our night,” Latham told the crowd.

The election was widely seen abroad as the first referendum for the three leaders who launched the March 2003 invasion of Iraq, with US President George Bush facing a ballot next month and Britain’s Tony Blair probably facing voters next year.

Labour had vowed to bring the roughly 900 Australian troops deployed in and around Iraq home by Christmas, while Howard insisted they will stay until Iraqis ask them to leave.