So here we go. Our independent foreign policy is well and truly gutted as Key admits that him sending troops into a pointless war to re-invade Iraq is simply to win favour with our 5 Eye allies…
Prime Minister John Key: Isis fight ‘price of the club’
Prime Minister John Key says New Zealand’s likely military contribution to the fight against Islamic State “is the price of the club” that New Zealand belongs to with the likes of the United States, Australia, Britain and Canada in the intelligence alliance known as Five Eyes.In his strongest hint yet that the Cabinet will approve a deployment of troops to train Iraqis alongside Australians, Mr Key in an interview with the BBC drew heavily on New Zealand pulling its weight as part of “a club”.
…we will be allying ourselves with some of the most brutal regimes in the region who are all playing each other off against one another to suck up to America?
How loathsome a reason to go to war, ‘because our mates are going’.
Remember, this was a war that before the election Key wasn’t sending us into, now after the election, we are all off to war.
For every bomb we guide to be dropped on a target, we will only create 10 more terrorists.
To be fair to John Key I dont think he has an option. We are part of the club whether we like it or not and are expected to show solidarity. The US bullied the EU into the situation in Ukraine and putting sanctions on Russia (Sen John McCain and Victoria Nuland’s now famous ‘fuck the EU’ when told by Plyatt the US ambassador to Ukraine that the EU wouldnt like her boy Yatsinyuk as Ukraine MP (Youtube) ). So for Key its not a matter of do I jump but ‘how high master?’ Or we could find ourselves like France with a little situation on our hands after Hollande stepped out of line. Hollande’s very quiet now.
So what’s next? We dump our non- nuclear policy because the other club members don’t like it?
Yes dump it. The no nuke policy is retarded.
And not at all like yourself @ DAN
Was NZ NOT in the club when Helen Clark was PM? ‘Cos I’m pretty sure we DIDN’T join Bush’s “coalition of the willing” that time. Of course John Key has an option. He is CHOOSING this path for NZ because like all neo-cons, he loves war.
If thats what eventuates, then rather than ” . . . to war, ‘because our mates are going’ . . . ” should read ‘because Uncle Sam told us we HAVE to”.
Maybe this time it will be different, we will go to a part of the world we have no right to be in, train some muslim soldiers (the goodies) they will kill the other muslim (terrorist fundamentalist baddies) and then everyone will live happily ever after. The fact that it has not worked out that way in the last 20/30 plus years of trying doesn’t seem to bother our thoughtless leaders.
Yes we have a choice to turn away as we did in Vietnam and Iraq, where committed support then when we found the task to much to handle or the action was a flawed plan (as Vietnam) we just decided it was to hard to do bin.
This was just like what this Government does selectively with Climate change policies saying it would harm our economy.
So will this global US inspired “Police action” folly cost us to much and will we do what the Government always does, turn & run away?
In this case they actually will have made the correct decision if they are smart and walk away.
The war against these middle eastern countries is simply unwinnable as the elements we are partnering are always undermining the efforts to overcome the radical elements.
As the whole alliance with these gatekeepers of peace and stability breaks down over time and we get caught with a very sticky situation.
We must beware of these middle east alliances, as they tend always to change their positions and alliances over time as the so called Vietnam friendly participants representing their side also did and who you thought was your friend was actually the enemy, Vietcong!
Remember the movie “Good Morning Vietnam”?
I’ve got a better idea, how about the CIA & Saudi’s stop giving ISIS support, that would be a quicker way of stopping these phoney wars.
No fear or profit in that approach.
In all reality, dont you think governments would rather spend money on hospitals, roads, education and so on rather than war. What an easy option, no one would be critical of it. And who in fact profits from war? A few weapon manufacturers. The simple fact that governments have to spend money on security to keep us (the west) safe.
Spending money to keep us safe? The surest way to make us unsafe is to get involved in the murder of people on the other side of the world for no clear reason. Why is the US even there? There are no WMD’s. Their country is in no way threatened by these people except for the enraged victims of US and Nato brutality who are seeking revenge. Key is wrong it is not a club that he is joining it is a gang.
Yes, and the tooth fairy is true too IKE
Bullies.
Key is wrong it is not a club that he is joining it is a gang.
Maybe that’s what’s with the whole change the flag thing, he’s a prospect seeking to be patched.
If we had a government that was there to govern as they are supposed to, then dan would be right, but we don’t.. we have an American who is quite blatantly still working for the same people who ran Merrill Lynche, along with the lunatics who are forcing financial ruin on the working populations on the world in order to gather as much power to themselves as possible before it all falls to bits….. This isn’t the time for naivete. this is time to wake up to what we are being sold into as a society, whether we like it or not….. Johnny numnums knowingly lied to the people of this country when he said “no troops to Iraq”… He’s not only a shameless liar, but a traitor to this country… As are the “fourth estate” that cheered him on knowing he was lying…..
How does the saying go about mistakes? Something along the lines of “the third time you make the same mistake its stupidity”.
There are a number of siren cries pulling us in, not all of which are neoconservative or avarice driven crap. Indeed some of pulls are ethical and very powerful especially when confronted by the horrific violence, suffering and massive loss of assets and development potential.
However have we not learnt. This is an old complex area of the world, the peoples are tough. The arrogance and offence alone will ensure , they are not going to roll over like a puppy and accept unwanted behaviour training from cultures whose track records are far from exemplary.
The best friend is the one who is willing to tell you when you are wrong and stand by you when you are right – lets us take this approach with our cultural brethren.
Standing up for ourselves and having principals is what gives NZ a great international reputation for fairness. (Unfortunately will be tarnished by following the 5 eye Mates club into a pointless illegal war).
Rather than following like sheep NZ needs to step up, like with our anti Nukes policy and actually take a diplomatic stance. Keeping Neutral is the best way to be everyones best friend.
Look at Helen Clark – go girl! Contrary to what Key may think being ethical will actually stand out more than being part of a mindless entourage. Being a Golf buddy does not buy you any respect.
In just three months JK and many others will be speechifying on the role Gallipoli played in developing our national spirit. We will talk of independence, cutting apron strings, coming of age as nation, etc etc etc.
It won’t be true of course, and JK’s statement is elegant, concise proof that nothing has changed and nothing has been learnt.
In John Key’s statement we have the clearest admission yet that our participating in action in Syria or Iraq is due to being part of the 5-eyes network and this comes at the cost of being part of an arrangement which requires ongoing support for the international policies of the other members (predominantly with the US leading I’m sure).
So, kiss independent foreign policy goodbye. Say adios to being able to take an unbiased stance on issues put before the UN. Ta ta, to being a neutral nation known for doing what is right, not just what our buddies say.
The state is fundamentally a protection racket, why are you even surprised at this?
Frankly I’m a little surprised by this, I was expecting the inevitable (and ludicrous) use of the recent Paris shootings as justification, instead Key admits he’s an obsequious wimp and a sucker for peer pressure. A little more honest and a lot more lame.
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