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It seems that Dear Leader is still making it up as he goes along. On “The Nation” this weekend (28 February), he told the people of New Zealand;
“Look, I’ve made it quite clear, for instance, to the Australian Prime Minister that we’re out in two years. That’s our mandate that we’ve got. That’s what we intend to follow through.”
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from: Frank Macskasy <fmacskasy@gmail.com>
to: Dominion Post <letters@dompost.co.nz>
date: Sat, Feb 28, 2015
subject: Letter to the editor.
The Editor
Dominion Post.
Did I hear John Key correctly, on TV3’s “The Nation”, on 28 February, when he confirmed that NZ military personnel will leave Iraq after two years;
“Look, I’ve made it quite clear, for instance, to the Australian Prime Minister that we’re out in two years. That’s our mandate that we’ve got.”
What “mandate” is Key referring to?
It can’t be a resolution from the UN Security Council – no such resolution has been enacted to my knowledge.
It can’t be a Parliamentary vote – Key will not allow MPs to debate and vote on such a critical issue.
And it certainly can’t be an election mandate – last year Key categorically ruled out any NZ involvement in Iraq aside from humanitarian aid. (See “Stuff” story, “No New Zealand forces to Iraq, says Key”, 18 June 2014) That is what New Zealanders voted for: no military involvement in Iraq.
So neither the UN Security Council, New Zealand Parliament, nor the voters in last year’s election have given Key any “mandate” whatsoever.
If he has some other mandate from some other authority, I for one, would be curious to see it.
Otherwise, NZ forces in Iraq? No, not in my name, Mr Key!
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-Frank Macskasy
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[Address and phone number supplied.]
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References
TV1: The Nation – Transcript – Prime Minister John Key
Previous Related Blogposts
That was Then, This is Now #26 – John Key will let slip the dogs of war
The Mendacities of Mr Key #10: “Only two years!!”
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= fs =
Thanks Frank.
No mandate.
So Key, to keep favour with his US buddies, goes ahead anyway and deploys NZ military personnel to Iraq!
Key is a liar and a traitor.
With those facts well established, the two years Key refers to will be indefinitely. In other words, our defence force will be there forever and a day, or when Uncle Sam dictates otherwise!
No dictator works with a mandate!
So why would Key be an exception from the rest of the despots?
Sounds like The Nation is merely a vehicle for Key to present his spin. A proper current affairs programme would have an interviewer that asked Key what supposed mandate he was referring to. I hope they publish your letter Frank, good work!
Thank you, Corokia.
The interview between Gower and Key did seem a bit “light”. Almost no follow up questions to really probe Key’s responses. Not quite the Simon Walker vs Rob Muldoon from 1976; http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/tonight—robert-muldoon-interview-1976
Well said Frank. Key has exactly zero mandate for this action. Not only does it smack of the arrogance that he warned his colleagues to avoid post-election, it also is being done despite having no warrant to do so by the people of this nation.
If, as is likely, he is referring to recent polling, let us all remind him of two facts. 1) Polls do not provide a mandate, only referenda could do this. 2) Even if they did provide a mandate he has only received a minority of support (48%) for this deployment from recent polls.
Much like the election where he claims a mandate because “most” people voted for National, this is still a minority of the people (48% again) in this nation, let us never forget this.
The majority of people don’t support Nation and the majority of New Zealanders do not support this deployment. Key has no mandate.
For whom is ‘The Nation’ preferred viewing? Are they the ditherers at the edge of the Deep Blues?
A specific soundbite aimed at a specific audience…How interesting. Wallpaper and gummy stuff over early cracks, perhaps?
Good catch.
[…] The Mendacities of Mr Key #11: Sorry, Prime Minister, what ‘mandate’ were you referring to?! […]
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