Calls for NZ to step back from joining AUKUS security pact
Former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr has sounded warning bells on the AUKUS security pact and called for “a different approach” to rising security tensions in the region.
Carr spoke today at a panel discussion at Parliament about the AUKUS security partnership alongside former prime minister Helen Clark and former Tuvalu prime minister Enele Sopoaga.
AUKUS is a deal between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States under which Australia will acquire nuclear-powered submarines for its defence force.
Carr this morning outlined his concern that AUKUS would leave Australia “less well-defended” without a “sovereign submarine capacity”.
“We are most unlikely to get the US subs as promised — and we will have nothing to replace our aging Collins-class submarines.”
He also raised the issue of Australia not having the workforce for the submarines, nor the skills base to operate them.
‘Pure bull**** … fragrant, methane-wrapped, bull****’ — Carr
Beyond this, he said he was concerned at the risk of being locked into receiving technology solely from the United States, rather than other allies.
He called Pillar II — the technology-sharing section of AUKUS — “pure bull**** … fragrant, methane-wrapped, bull****”. He said it had been “cobbled together” to make it look like there was more to the deal than submarines.
Carr called for “a different model”, saying Australia and New Zealand were well placed to nurture, defend and promote the region diplomatically.
He described such diplomacy as, “a different model of relationships between the prevailing power and the rising power… a different approach from the one that says war’s inevitable.”
He said New Zealand’s nuclear-free status meant it was well-placed to nurture the idea in Asia Pacific diplomacy of a détente, “not a descent into war between the US and China”.
Carr said there was more to be gained from expanding cooperation, and believed Australia and New Zealand would be listened to by both sides.
The event was hosted by the Labour Party, who initiated New Zealand’s potential involvement in the deal last year.
Beware becoming a ‘signed-up’ partner to US — Clark
Former Labour Leader Helen Clark has been vocal about her opposition to the deal, saying recently it signalled an “undemocratic shift” in our foreign policy.
Speaking today, Clark called for New Zealand to be a voice for “de-escalating tensions” and finding “common cause where we can”, rather than contribute to rising tensions.
Clark stated: “AUKUS is an agreement clearly aimed at China, our major trading partner.
I fear that Winnie has sold our independent foreign policy to the American Military Industrial Complex for 3 Magic Beans.
We are allowing Winston, who loves America almost as much as he loves his own reflection to lead this new relationship alongside Judith Collins whose history of abusing power should terrify everyone that she is the Minister for Spooks, the NZDF and the fucking Attorney General.
Get her a mirror and I think Judith could argue quorum to pass Martial Law under Rule 242.
We really should seperate those Ministries from that Minister, it’s like allowing Darth Vader to be the Prime Minister, Finance Minister and owner of the only Death Star in our Galaxy.
Judith Collins is terrifying.
Back to Winston’s 3 Magic Beans.
National Party insiders argue Helen Clark has been outside the intelligence loop for too long to see China as simply competitive, and that they have in fact changed their strategic posture by pushing grey zone conflict into possible open military response.
Be that as it may, sucking up to America and locking us into conflict with China and Russia isn’t a solution.
Helen is without question one of the greatest political minds this country has ever created. Her oversight and insight is unparalleled, she should urgently become the lead voice on our Foreign Affairs criticism.
The NZDF kindly informed us last week that their mission in Yemen will be kinetic and might kill civilians.
Why are NZ taxpayers paying to bomb the poorest country in the Middle East in a tactic that almost every single intelligence network tells us will only empower the Houthie?
Look, we all loved Matua Winston laying down the law at the UN with his speech, but these words become hollow if not followed up with deeds.
We should have expelled the Israeli Ambassador, we should have opened up Palestinian refugee and whanau immigration rules, we should fund peace camps here where Israeli and Palestinian Youth can meet outside the conflict.
If all we are prepared to do in the shadow of 35 000 dead Palestinians is make a speech, where is our mana?
The speech also acted as political camouflage because right after that Speech, Winston was meeting with America to desecrate David Lange’s legacy by signing us up the Military Industrial Complex.
Our strength is our independence, not the pretence of independence.
Winnie is barking our independence on one hand while chaining us to America with the other hand.
The drum beat for war across the Pacific is getting louder so why ignite things further?
I agree NZ needs to boast our military spending to protect the Realm of NZ, but blindly following America into its latest Military Adventure is not what our focus on a climate warming planet should be.
Winston has sold our independent foreign policy for 3 magic beans he’s bought off the Military Industrial Complex.
One of our largest media companies just went under.
No one is paying attention.
If Israel invades Rafar it will be a massacre and that will spin things beyond any control.
Winston is tying us to this.
When Russia commits war crimes, the West criticise and sanction it.
When Russia uses hunger as a weapon, the West criticise and sanction it.
And when Russia targets media, infrastructure and hospitals, the West criticise and sanction it, yet when Israel does all that on a vastly larger scale, tempered language from the West and no sanctions?
Isn’t Helen already right?
Haven’t we already traded our independent foreign policy to America?
There’s a clip from last night highlighting the double standards at play here:
David Cameron: Iran attacking Israel was reckless.
Journalist: What would Britain do if our consulate was flattened?
David Cameron: We would take very strong action!
The West are hypocrites criticising Iran.
Why are we tying ourselves to this morality?
This is why it is so important to have an Independent Foreign Policy, so that a voice of peace and diplomacy and de-escalation can enter the fray, because the fray needs a voice of reason over violence.
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Winston is pursuing a sensible policy which is a marked improvement on the Labour Government’s melee.
you talk so much shit you must be AI no real person could spout so much
Ohakea will become a USA air base and US navy will be based AT Marsden Point .
The “intelligence community” are a self serving bunch who need “enemies”, real or imagined to justify their existence. And they appear to decide who is our enemy independent of any national debate, as has Winston and all those sheep in Parliament. In the words of the peasant in Pythons Holy Grail, “I didn’t vote for them”.