What Winston is actually doing with Russia?

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In the brilliant political thriller, ‘A Very British Coup‘, a truly Left Wing Government has to confront the vested interests of the right wing and Deep State by cleverly out manoeuvring the economic and political sabotage waged against it.

As the corporate interests attempt to cut off funding for the Government, Perkins (the fictional Left wing Prime Minister) cuts a banking deal with the Russians and at a press conference writes for the rabid right wing tabloids tomorrow’s headline ‘Perkins saved by Kremlin Gold’.

That’s how we should view Winston’s sudden desire to reopen trade with Russia that has so many pundits scrambling to explain.

I’ve said it many times, this Government will be far more radical than the corporate mainstream media pundits are claiming. Having spoken to some of those who were part of the behind the scenes negotiations, I believe this Government is deadly serious about reforming and changing Capitalism in this country.

The impact of the report from the University of Canterbury that shows National are nothing more than a front for Chinese business interests weighed very heavily upon negotiators and Winston’s desire to reduce China’s political and economic influence over NZ was one of the reasons he went with Labour and the Greens.

Winston sees Chinese political and economic influence over NZ as an existential threat to our democracy, and one way to eliminate that influence is to find a completely different market for all the milk powder they are buying and can hold over us if we start having opinions on China’s claim to owning large chunks of the Pacific.

Russia is a huge importer of dairy and by re-opening possible trade there, NZ suddenly reduces its dependence upon China for our economic well being.

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

Winston has been playing these chess games in his head for a very long time and he intends to win.

23 COMMENTS

  1. The USSR trade with us in past decades but got pretty shabby treatment.

    Russia has a lot more than Ladas to trade with now. Russian equipment manufacturers can supply us with industrial machinery to re establish our once flourishing light industry for local supply.

    What we do about cheap imported junk and consumer goods is another matter that needs urgent attention. Our landfills do have limits that are being stretched today and that is without looking much into the future.

    • The USSR and communism closed shop 30 years ago .It is now the Russian Federation.Things have changed considerably.Fortunately Winston understands that!

  2. I’m yet to be convinced how radical this governments will be. In reality I see them more as tinkerers than radical changers. Let us not forget for all winstons talk of neoliberal capitalism being our foe, he has propped it and the nat”s up for the last nine years. his words now I suspect is more political expediency than deeply held ideology. the real test for this government will be their actions with the TPP, this poses a more immediate and bigger threat to our democracy than china.
    The other real threat to our democracy is blind euphoria of having a labour led government. Not since the 1984 lange government has then been such blind euphoria and look how that ended. yes we got a nuclear free status but we also got rogernomics and the start of our neoliberal path.
    I hope to be proven wrong but it is history that will judge wether this government are radical or tinkerers

    • “Let us not forget for all Winstons talk of neoliberal capitalism being our foe, he has propped it and the nat’s up for the last nine years.”

      I’m no fan of Winston Peters or NZ First, but this is just not true. NZ First was not part of the NatACT government, and over the last 9 years they voted with Labour and the Greens far more often they voted with the NatACTs. They may be more conservative on social issues like drug law reform, violence against children (“smacking”), and immigration, but economically they are well to the left of Labour, whose only policy is still squatting the centre-right (for example their position on TPP).
      https://politicalcompass.org/nz2017

    • Just because you don’t see the sense of purpose that others do, doesn’t mean it’s “blind euphoria.” Just ask expectant mothers, or those scrambling to find a home, or those keen to dip a toe into tertiary education, or others who’ve seen a positive change in just 2 weeks, as opposed to 9 years of descent. There’s nothing blind about their happiness.

  3. Yeah that’s an interesting idea from that cunning old fox. I know Russia used to import massive amounts of Dutch cheese, but The Netherlands imposed sanctions on them after MH 17 was shot down in 2014 over Ukraine (which they blamed Russia for, despite no concrete evidence) and Russia of course instantly countered. So there’s definitely presently an opportunity for NZ to expand into the Russian market.
    http://mashable.com/2015/08/28/russia-import-ban-european-cheese/#8vorqfdQwqqk
    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/02/mh17-russia-dutch-ambassador-arctic-sunrise

  4. But will Russia want to trade with us? Not if we slavishly continue to support the ridiculous policies of the USA in the UN and their illegal military adventures throughout the world. As Gerald Celente says, “The business of China is business, the business of America is war. “http://www.thevoicetimes.com/business-china-business-business-america-war-gerald-celente/
    Hopefully this government will successfully negotiate their way into the looming multi-polar world and maybe assist their bigger brothers to come to some sort of harmonious competitive/cooperative resolution.
    Dealing with Russia has its headaches as low level corruption has been endemic. Putin has worked hard to bring Russia into the 21st century and improve standards in this regard, despite what the BBC may say. On the other hand dealing with the USA may be more difficult as Washington believes it’s “reason for being” is to control the morals, political mores and economic systems of the whole world. Pity they are disintegrating into a cess pit of immoral political and economic chaos. Oh dear, how sad, never mind.
    Kia Kaha Jacinda and Winston

  5. Russia is a market as is China the USA is a declining empire basing their exports on war and armaments it makes sense to be a the right side of history

    • Bruce: “Russia is a market…”
      Exactly. And – in contrast to US neoliberal interventionism – commentators have remarked upon Putin’s Westphalian approach to international politics. Simply put, that means Russia respects other polities’ sovereignty, intervening only when asked for assistance. Best contemporary example: Syria. Russia sent troops only upon request from Assad.
      Russia annexed Crimea only after its government requested it, following an overwhelming vote by its citizens to secede from the Ukraine.
      Russia trades with other countries without attempting to force regime change upon them. Who knows whether it’s willing to reopen negotiations with NZ: all our government can do is ask.

      • More poignantly. Boris Yeltson was a drunk. Installed with help from Bush Sr and Regan. That utterly destroyed the Russian economy sending every one to the wall. And will eventually lead to Americas collapse. Because with out this vital pretext to war, America loses the primary reason for its war machine that its economy is so geared to supporting. Since the 90’s Russian oligarchs have been able to find safe haven in western countries mostly the U.K, the largest buyers in the U.K property market. Further fuelling the race to the bottom with in Russia. It is this action that upsets the people of Russia and is the sole reason why Putin is so popular. Because he actively crushes Russian oligarchs, arrests them. These people didn’t do anything fantastic. All they did was buy Russian state assets for less than pennies from friendly U.S sales agents. And now they pretend that the oligarchs are the victims. Brining a whole new dimensions to The Great Game, the geopolitics between England and Russia.

        Also. Russia decline means that it’s military is also stuck in the 80’s. And is only useful against open warfare type missions with a per country. Never mind humanitarian and disaster relief missions (HaDR). Russia tried to get into the HaDR game when they attempted to purchase front assault ships. But that was blocked by American interests citing the decline of Russian oligarchs and threats of further economic sanctions if they pushed ahead with the BRICS nations of currency, goods and service exchange, which New Zealand is a member of.

        Back to the Russian military. As the old military proverb goes. ‘God favours those with the larger tank battalions.’ The lord knows the Soviet Union didn’t believe in God. But they did believe in the bigger tank battalions. For this reason you won’t see Russia sending in military aid for just any only reason like the yanks who have the economic and political will to deceive there populations into going to war.

        America has taught every one many things. Now it seems like every generation needs to relearn the lessons. That you don’t win wars by lying.

        Until Americans figure this out they will always be treated as the problem child of world affairs.

      • Simply put, that means Russia respects other polities’ sovereignty, intervening only when asked for assistance.

        Funny, the Americans used to claim the very same thing… They only intervened in South Vietnam “only when asked for assistance”.

        I am not so trusting of any superpower’s “respect for other polities’ sovereignty”.

        • Frank Macskasy: “Funny, the Americans used to claim the very same thing… They only intervened in South Vietnam “only when asked for assistance”.”

          The Yankees have never been Westphalian: I doubt that any of them – outside of a few universities – knows what it means. That claim about Vietnam is fiction: there were US military in Vietnam even before the French decamped, while it was still French Indochina.

          The Americans are unapologetically (neoliberal) interventionist; their record pretty much everywhere in the world illustrates this. they see nothing exceptionable in it.

          Try arguing the toss over this with an American – some academics excepted – and see where it gets you. They’ve been so inculcated with that Hollywood-ish propaganda meme about their place as the sole world super-power and policeman, they can’t conceive of the possibility that their governments’ foreign policy approach might be, not just wrong, but incalculably damaging.

          You know that they sincerely believe that they won the war in Europe, don’t you? I rest my case…

  6. … ” The impact of the report from the University of Canterbury that shows National are nothing more than a front for Chinese business interests weighed very heavily upon negotiators and Winston’s desire to reduce China’s political and economic influence over NZ was one of the reasons he went with Labour and the Greens.

    Winston sees Chinese political and economic influence over NZ as an existential threat to our democracy, and one way to eliminate that influence is to find a completely different market for all the milk powder they are buying and can hold over us if we start having opinions on China’s claim to owning large chunks of the Pacific ” …

    Go for broke , Winston , – you’ve got this persons backing as well as tens of thousands of others!

    Our national sovereignty is NOT a plaything to be cheaply traded off despite what Bill English and his EX MINISTERS became accustomed to think.

    And no – we don’t ‘ answer ‘ to China or anybody else.

    So they can take their EX MP spy back home.

    We don’t want him.

  7. If this government is going to be radical Martyn and is serious about limiting capitalism then i would have thought that pulling out of TPPA would have been an important start.

    As we all know this agreement will simply continue with the repression and marginalisation of our people and will continue to enrich huge corporates and their supporters.

    It is one thing to talk the talk ( Mr Peters and his capitalism has been bad for many New Zealanders ) and Ms Adern ( this will be a government of real change for New Zealanders ) but it is action that counts.

    If they are serious about real change to the status quo then prove it and ditch this anti worker deal.

    Now that would have been radical and revolutionary.

    • Low wage treaties (“Free trade agreements”) have been the international norm for so long that they have huge momentum. I believe it is possible to free Labour from the grip of global corporatism, but it won’t be achieved by purely negative campaigning (anti-TPP). What the left urgently need is a vision(s) for how international cooperation is going to work in the 21st century, including (but not limited to) economic cooperation (“trade”). A vision that is human-centred and eco-centred, not corporate-centred and finance-centred.

      The new government needs to be able to say that the TPP and all existing international agreements are to be reviewed in the light of this new vision. Just canning the TPP without replacing it with something else, is like taking the petrol engine out of a car without putting in an electric engine. It leaves us going nowhere.

  8. Winston has said we need to trade with Russia , Belarus, and the Stans( Kazakhstan Uzbekistan etc) for as long as i can remember. They eat sheep and use wool in large quantities too . The Chinese don’t. China is fucking us over( what a surprise) . Such an obvious move for trade. God I hope Ardern walks front he effing TPPA.

  9. Bernie Sanders has warned that the world is rapidly becoming an “international oligarchy” controlled by a tiny number of billionaires, highlighted by the revelations in the Paradise Papers.

    In a statement to the Guardian in the wake of the massive leak of documents exposing the secrets of offshore investors, Sanders said that the enrichment of wealthy individuals and companies in tax havens was “the major issue of our time”.
    He said the Paradise Papers opened the door on a “major problem not just for the US but for governments throughout the world”.
    “The major issue of our time is the rapid movement toward international oligarchy in which a handful of billionaires own and control a significant part of the global economy. The Paradise Papers shows how these billionaires and multi-national corporations get richer by hiding their wealth and profits and avoid paying their fair share of taxes,” the US senator from Vermont said.

    https://www.theguardian.com/news/2017/nov/06/bernie-sanders-paradise-papers-leak-international-oligarchy

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