Simon Bridges has announced the National Party’s Foreign Policy.
“National will prioritise our relationship with the United States, and leverage the strong security, economic and political ties with them to bring this important initiative into action…”
“That’s why we’re proposing to pass legislation to empower New Zealand to autonomously sanction organisations when the United Nations is unable or unwilling to do so.”
There are some points that should be addressed. Take the phrase “National will prioritise our relationship with the United States.”
Surely it is correct to interpret ‘the United States’ in Bridges’ statement to mean the governing clique of the United States: Trump, Bolton , Pompeo, Kushner.
Is Mr Bridges declaring that a National Party Government would consider any American Foreign Policy as NZ’s Foreign Policy, eg: supporting a coup in Venezuela, cracking down on whistle-blowers , siding with and encouraging the Israeli regime in its criminal war on the Palestinians, increasing its nuclear arsenal, threatening Iran.
The US is a large country with people of diverse views. The US regime is impoverishing the American public by lavishing obscenely huge sums of money on the military , by granting huge tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy, while services providing health, education, and a clean healthy living environment are allowed to deteriorate.
Is the National Party offering the country ‘strong security ‘ or are the Nats determined to commit NZ to obediently join military actions whenever ordered to?
There are American activists who openly oppose expanding military actions, including on the US border against desperate migrants from what Trump calls ‘sh*t-hole’ countries..see Cynthia McKinney’s new book How the US Created Sh*t-Hole Countries.
American activists including Code Pink and War No More members moved into the Washington DC Venezuelan Embassy at the request of the elected Venezuelan President, to prevent it being taken over by Guaido supporters. American activists including CodePink, Catholic Workers and Voices for Creative Non-Violence protest at nuclear and drone weapons installations.
American activists protest at meetings of the powerful pro-Israel lobby group AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee), protest about the enormous amount of US tax-payer money that goes to Israel, and are appalled at the grovelling support the US gives to the Israeli regime, the most right-wing in Israel’s history. Opposition to the oppression of Palestinians, including of course the deliberate killing of unarmed ‘Great March’ Gazan protesters, is growing especially but not only, among young American Jewish students. There is also increasing support for the Palestinian cause from African-Americans.
I am most concerned by Bridges’ statement “empower New Zealand to autonomously sanction organisations when the United Nations is unable or unwilling to do so.” He must be challenged on this. What is he talking about?Does Mr Bridges have any international diplomatic experience? The US uses sanctions as a weapon of war.
Secretaryof State Madeleine Albright when questioned about the UN report that US sanctions on Iraq led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi children, replied that “the price was worth it”.
It’s overdue time for a strong anti-war movement here in New Zealand, a movement that should ‘prioritise’ its ‘relationship with the United States’ peace movements. Black Alliance for Peace is another group I should have mentioned earlier. Its national organiser is a former Green Party Vice-Presidential candidate.
Recently I attended a small meeting in Christchurch, discussing the urgent need to ban autonomous killer robots. How can sane people even contemplate producing such horrific weapons! Why is it assumed there will always be more wars, requiring even more obscene weaponry?
Martin Luther King once said, “The means by which we live have outdistanced the ends for which we live. Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.”
There have already been separate campaigns to condemn : nuclear weapons, depleted uranium, cluster bombs, drone warfare….
It’s time to condemn war itself.
A strong grassroots movement is needed to convince Mr Bridges that New Zealand could play an independent and positive role that would be welcomed by peace with justice advocates worldwide. New Zealand could be the Costa Rica of the Pacific.
Lois Griffiths is a human rights activist.
I totally agree Lois
We’re a tiny country, but we can distinguish ourselves in the world
Our “brand” could be ethics, fairness, justice,innovation in food production,low impact technology to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
Our universities could be all about international law, peace studies, conflict management, diplomacy
What on earth is Bridges talking about?
Has he had a few little meetings in the US ambassadors office?
Has he perhaps been promised some kind of quid pro quo and campaign help?
Sanctioning institutions?
On behalf of the US? Offering a fig leaf for rapacious US Mafia style kneecapping for anyone who threatens their corporations or top dog status?
I think I’ve heard it all.
And why now?
When the US reputation has slid to its lowest level, when their standing in the world has slumped like no time before
I’m seriously thinking Bridges has been attending little meetings with the US ambassador, and perhaps sees an opportunity to revive his hopeless political ambitions
Regime change anyone?
The late great US satarist George Carlin once described the USA as an “Oil Company with an army”.
Aligning ourselves with the empire of chaos is abject insanity.
Sure soon to be gone Bridges is someone to be alert to but remember that Jacinda Ardern has never ever truly publiclly denounced or condemned the killings of Tony Blair in whose office she cut her political teeth.
The USA seems hell bent on war with Russia, such an outcome leaves no winners but being on the same side as the fascist aggressor is unconscionable.
Comments are closed.