It also showed the conservative leader, who was initially widely criticised for sending Australian troops to war in Iraq, has opened up a record 62-16 percent lead over his anti-war Labor opponent, Simon Crean.

The poll, conducted for The Australian by Newspoll over the weekend, showed support for Howard's government had jumped four percentage points from 51 percent a month ago, when support for Labor stood at 49 percent.

Publication of The Australian poll coincides with another by The Guardian in London showing support for the war among British voters has risen to 63 percent, a seven point rise since the fall of Baghdad.

An ovewhelming majority of voters in both countries were initially strong opponents to the war, with huge crowds turning out at anti-war rallies a few weeks ago.

But polls in Britain and Australia have shown a dramatic turnaround of attitudes in recent weeks, and especially since the fall of Baghdad.

The Australian poll showed the success of the war had translated into robust community support of 57 percent behind the war compared to 36 against.

A solid majority, 62 percent, also believed the war would improve global security and stability, despite concerns that the US-led campaign could harden the resolve of terrorist groups to retaliate.

Howard launched a scathing attack this week on the "armchair generals" who criticized the conduct of the Iraq campaign, saying their "doomsday scenarios" had all been wrong and the war had run largely to plan.

In an address to party supporters, he hit out at commentators and critics over the barrage of "fierce, vitriolic criticism" to which he and the government had been subjected.

There had been no street-by-street battle in Baghdad -- the predictions of thousands -- and the possibility millions of refugees was proved wrong. Nor had the Iraqis set fire to 1,000 oil wells and Iraq did not fire Scud missiles at Israel.

"What we did was right, what we did was direct and very courageous," he said.

SPACE.WIRE