Whatever Will We Do If the Aussies Get the Bomb

The folks down under are laughing it up at the latest statements of Harold Ford, Dem Senate candidate from Tennessee. We already know that Ford has a short fuse, but he's worried that the Aussies *gasp* will get the bomb!

HAROLD Ford, a handsome 36-year-old from Tennessee, has become one of the sensations of the mid-term elections in the US and a reason why Democrats are a good chance of winning back control of the US Congress for the first time in 12 years.

But if Mr Ford, already a US congressman, wins his bid to become a more powerful senator, Australia had better watch out.

Because according to Mr Ford, Australia has an interest in nuclear weapons and is part of the broader nuclear threat to the US.

His skilled oration on domestic politics may be flawless, but his grip on foreign policy is error-prone. Yesterday he stumbled into gaffes on the North Korean nuclear tests and then mentioned Australia in the same breath as rogue nations wanting to go nuclear.

"Here we are in a world today where more countries have access to nuclear weapons than ever before," Mr Ford said, adding that when he left college in 1992 he thought the nuclear age had come to an end "and America would find ways to eliminate the number of chances that a rogue group or a rogue nation would get their hands on nuclear material".

"Today nine countries have it - more than ever before - and 40 are seeking it, including Argentina, Australia and South Africa," he said.

You can just imagine the dangers that will be experienced by the west if those Foster's-sodden blokes get their hands on a nuke. The creators of South Park, who just did a show lampooning the stingray death of Aussie hero Steve Irwin, had better be afraid....be very afraid.