John Howard tells Maliki to share oil (I.E. Pass the Hydrocarbon Law) or face pullout

The Prime Minister, in a blunt letter to his Iraqi counterpart Nouri al-Maliki, urges the Iraqi Government to speed the sharing of oil wealth among all sections of the Iraqi community, including the minority Sunni population.

In the letter, sent last week, Mr. Howard warns that if the Iraqis fail to make progress, the public support for Australia's military deployment to Iraq may not be sustainable.

The clear implication in Mr Howard's letter is that US public support would also falter without signs of substantial political progress in Iraq.

The letter displays Mr Howard's deep and growing frustration with the Maliki Government, which has suspended sittings of the Iraqi parliament for the whole of this month. With the federal election looming, it shows Mr Howard is under real political pressure on Iraq for the first time.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22224976-31477,00.html

Oh yeah, that's right, all 1000 of them; Plus the 600 Australian air force and navy personnel "in the region".
Howard sure got Malaki over a barrell!

I'm glad at least Howard isn't talking about withdrawing any of the 1000 Australian troops out of Afghanistan. We'd be in big trouble then! (sarcasm)

to leave. (scratches head) are they really that stupid? Howard, I mean. You tell your colony that if they don't behave, you're going to leave. And your colony has asked you to leave.

OK.....well, I guess I'd better DO NOTHING.....(Al Maliki). As if he can do anything, anyway. Half his cabinet just walked away...permanently.

WELL MR> HOWARD I THINK I CAN PREDICT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.