The NZ media has never been very good in cutting the NZDFs propaganda for war from the reality.
Take this recent example from the NZ Herald…
Public support still high for New Zealand’s Iraqi training mission
New Zealand’s deployment of troops to train the Iraq Army continues to have strong public support, says the latest Herald-DigiPoll survey.
In the poll, 59 per cent of respondents said they supported the deployment of 121 troops to train Iraqi soldiers in the fight against Islamic State – up from 57 per cent in May. Just over one-third said they did not agree with it – the same level as in May soon after the troops arrived in Taji.
Prime Minister John Key said the level of public support reflected the view that New Zealand had to play its part in the world and help the people of Iraq defend their own country. He did not believe high public support would justify deepening New Zealand’s involvement.
…for the love of God people – the NZ forces are not there training people, that’s a cover story for the public. There are a dozen trainers for the over 100 soldiers deployed. Those other soldiers are doing recon work for the US and helping plan bomb strikes, the ‘training’ is just a smokescreen.
If the Poll had asked the actual reality it would look like this…
Do you support NZ pretending to train the Iraqi Army while really helping the US find targets to bomb?
…you would have a very different answer.
The media in NZ have a pathetic history of holding our Army to account for what it is they are doing in other people’s countries.
If we look to Nicky Hager’s previous book, Other People’s Wars, the insidious ability of the NZ Defence Force to manipulate and co-opt mainstream media into being their propaganda tools is well researched, and unsettling.
Take for example ‘Kiwi Camp’ in Afghanistan. It was sold via the embedded mainstream media as some type of Engineering peace corps rebuilding schools, bridges and wells. Independent reports citing the work we did for the locals called our efforts “poorly planned” and “wildly exaggerated”. Embedded journalists Guyon Espiner and Vernan Small both visited Kiwi Camp and later noted (after being outed by the book) the CIA were using our base as a cover, yet both failed to mention that as anything worth informing NZers about. The CIA were using our base as a front because Provincial Reconstruction Teams don’t get attacked the way Forward Operating bases do, but neither journalist thought that manipulation was news worthy at the time.
The media’s self censoring compliance with the NZDF and their willingness to don flak jackets and helmets to play the intrepid journalist shtick is actually part of the problem.
From Other People’s Wars…
having CIA operatives inside the Kiwi base fitted poorly with the deployment’s stated goals. Why would the New Zealand authorities risk the New Zealanders working at Kiwi Base, and the credibility of the New Zealand peacekeeping mission, by mixing them up with a CIA operation? After the suicide attack on the FOB [forward operating base] Chapman, the issue of CIA operations inside a provincial reconstruction team was widely discussed. The Times wrote that “PRTs have been criticised widely for endangering civilian aid workers by blurring the line between development staff and the military.
John Armstrong probably summed up the media’s inability to look past the war PR spin best with his 2011 column on the book, ‘Candyfloss’ PR exposed in all its cynicism…
Those who think Nicky Hager is just another left-wing stirrer and dismiss his latest book accordingly should think again.
Likewise, the country’s politicians should read Other People’s Wars before condemning it.
Whatever Hager’s motive for investigating New Zealand’s contribution over the past decade to the United States-led “war on terror”, it is pretty irrelevant when placed alongside the mountain of previously confidential and very disturbing information his assiduous research and inquiries have uncovered.
With the help of well-placed informants and thousands of leaked documents, Hager exposes the cynical manner in which the Defence Force has purposely misled the public by omission of pertinent facts and public relations flannel.
This is particularly the case with regard to the “candyfloss” image the military has built around the deployment of New Zealand soldiers in the Bamiyan province of Afghanistan.
That image is of our soldiers acting more like peacekeepers armed with nothing more dangerous than a shovel.
…what was more concerning than our media’s embedded compliance was that the NZ military lied and deceived our own politicians…
Defence Force staff responsible for the deployment of Orion aircraft and Anzac frigates to the Gulf in the “war against terror” ignored instructions from then prime minister Helen Clark to keep their operations separate from those being conducted by the United States against Iraq. The book quotes unidentified officials and former diplomats as agreeing that Clark – lacking a strong defence minister – fought a lone battle against never ending efforts by the Defence and Foreign Affairs ministries to rewrite Government policy and buy military equipment which would enable New Zealand to build bridges with the United States.
New Zealand diplomats resorted to underhand tricks when they did not get their way with the last Labour Government. For example, when Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials did not like a particular Government policy decision, New Zealand’s ambassadors in Washington and Canberra were told to sound out the views of the local bureaucrats. The ministry would then tell Government ministers that the Americans and Australians had made it known they were very concerned and there could be “relationship implications”.
…and what of the allegations that NZ SAS were involved in war crimes for handing over civilians to known torture units in Afghanistan? Well, the Journalist who broke that story, Jon Stephenson, was blacklisted and had smears spread about him by the NZDF in an effort to discredit him. So good was the smear and spin, Stephenson shockingly had his defamation case against Lieutenant General Rhys Jones halted by a hung Jury in 2013.
Our media have a sorry history of being played like propaganda sock puppets by the NZDF and their bias towards National over the last 7 years doesn’t suggest they are capable or inclined to hold Key to account for anything that happens during this re-invasion of Iraq.
Articles pimping polls that are themselves deeply flawed as questions simply keeps the sleepy hobbits of middle NZ from waking.
True that. Remember the lashings of bullshit the NZDF put out over the battle that led to the deaths of those Kiwi soldiers. You covered that on TDB.
They truly believe they are a force outside of Parliamentary control.
And they will be the ones to threaten NZ Parliamentary democracy in the event of the election of a too far to the left government.
It almost happed in the UK and it can certainly happen here.
Send Max to war.
Would be interesting to see the ‘full timers’ become the ‘front liners’, but they’ll probably end up causing an Abu Ghraib style scandal by instagramming pictures of captured insurgents being forced to make out with each other while being hosed down with ice cold Dom Perignon.
Excellent article Martyn.
You would not find this in any MSM which is why we should turn it off.
It is my understanding though that the Military in all our Commonwealth countries
are not technically accountable to any Gvt they reside in because they ultimately
swear allegiance to the Queen.
Stand to be corrected though.
Cheers.
Good article Martyn.
Cheers.
Luckily we have sources like The Daily Blog to keep us better informed these days
Here here ESOTERIC PINEAPPLES. TDB is the best.
Nobody should believe this government with a leader that lies like an eel keyster must be upward to 300 lies by now from late 2008 when he and his cronies all rigged the Election.
Agreed, the votes for the next election are already in FJK wins again. Treason has its rewards. Puttin the boot in before they pass the its a crime to diss the boss bill.
I remember living in the UK a few years ago and every single bloody week there was a report of yet another British soldier killed in ‘friendly fire’. In other words, killed by the Americans. More British soldiers died at the hands of the Americans than any other enemy force. I couldn’t understand why there was no outrage. Maybe there was, but it wasn’t reported.
Excellent work here, Martyn, and a timely reminder of Nicky Hager’s investigative journalism.
Here’s a song from Gilbert and Sullivan – sung by Martyn Green – one of the greatest.
Sums up the kind of pomposity and goonish adherence to party policy demonstrated by MP’s and media…
When I was a lad I served a term
As office boy to an Attorney’s firm.
I cleaned the windows and I swept the floor,
And I polished up the handle of the big front door.
Chorus.
He polished up the handle of the big front door.
Sir Joseph.
I polished up that handle so carefullee
That now I am the Ruler of the Queen’s Navee!
Chorus.
He polished up that handle so carefullee,
That now he is the ruler of the Queen’s Navee!
Sir Joseph.
As office boy I made such a mark
That they gave me the post of a junior clerk.
I served the writs with a smile so bland,
And I copied all the letters in a big round hand.
Chorus.
He copied all the letters in a big round hand.
Sir Joseph.
I copied all the letters in a hand so free,
That now I am the Ruler of the Queen’s Navee!
Chorus.
He copied all the letters in a hand so free,
That now he is the Ruler of the Queen’s Navee!
Sir Joseph.
In serving writs I made such a name
That an articled clerk I soon became;
I wore clean collars and a brand-new suit
For the pass examination at the Institute.
Chorus.
For the pass examination at the Institute.
Sir Joseph.
That pass examination did so well for me,
That now I am the Ruler of the Queen’s Navee!
Chorus.
That pass examination did so well for he,
That now he is the Ruler of the Queen’s Navee!
Sir Joseph.
Of legal knowledge I acquired such a grip
That they took me into the partnership.
And that junior partnership, I ween,
Was the only ship that I ever had seen.
Chorus.
Was the only ship that he ever had seen.
Sir Joseph.
But that kind of ship so suited me,
That now I am the ruler of the Queen’s Navee!
Chorus.
But that kind of ship so suited he,
That now he is the ruler of the Queen’s Navee!
Sir Joseph.
I grew so rich that I was sent
By a pocket borough into Parliament.
I always voted at my party’s call,
And I never thought of thinking for myself at all.
Chorus.
He never thought of thinking for himself at all.
Sir Joseph.
I thought so little, they rewarded me
By making me the Ruler of the Queen’s Navee!
Chorus.
He thought so little, they rewarded he
By making him the Ruler of the Queen’s Navee!
Sir Joseph.
Now landsmen all, whoever you may be,
If you want to rise to the top of the tree,
If your soul isn’t fettered to an office stool,
Be careful to be guided by this golden rule.
Chorus.
Be careful to be guided by this golden rule.
Sir Joseph.
Stick close to your desks and never go to sea,
And you all may be rulers of the Queen’s Navee!
Chorus.
Stick close to your desks and never go to sea,
And you all may be rulers of the Queen’s Navee!
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