Comments on: Moving Beyond Good and Evil: Can Gerry Brownlee Get Past America’s Moral Absolutes?

By: Trevor Mills

Trevor Mills — Thu, 27 Apr 2017 13:19:44 +0000

In reply to Francesca. Very interesting information. I wasn't aware of such offers by the North Koreans and how America has chosen to ignore it. But then, what can you expect from a pack of military-industrial-congressional complex drivers who want complete control and consider themselves the self-entitlements of high almighty to world power?

By: David Stone

David Stone — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 19:48:02 +0000

Hi Chris
To your outline of the world political environment that Mr Brownlee is to enter, I would add that it is at a time when American politicians call for the expulsion of Tulsi Gabbard for daring to speak with Assad at all, and British politicians call for his wife to be striped of her British citizenship for protesting that her husband had nothing to do with a poison gas attack on their people. To be a western diplomat in the present climate requires as you say unquestioning support for whatever is in the American deep state’s and corporate interests, and the vilification of any nation’s leadership that seeks to prioritise the interests of their own people.
Gerry Brownlee is the perfect choice.

By: Frank Macskasy

Frank Macskasy — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 11:36:24 +0000

In reply to Andrea.

If he does Andrea, and Brownlee provokes the Finns to invade us – I, for one, will welcome our new Scandinavian Overlords.

They have free tertiary education and amongst the highest education standards, according to PISA. They also have high union participation; nationwide union awards, and Finland’s “Gini co-efficient” (measuring inequality) is rated at 25.6 – better than New Zealand’s 33.0 (the higher the rating, the higher inequality).

Their GDP per capita is $42,654, compared to our $36,950.

Their prison incarceration rate is 55 prisoners per 100,000 – ours is 202. (ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_incarceration_rate)

In 2012, Finland ranked second in Gross National Happiness by The Earth Institute.

Cool eh? The Finns might teach us a thing or three.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 10:39:18 +0000

Gerry Brownlee – and Boris Johnson and Rex Tillerson.

Scary, eh?

Wonder if he’ll offend Finland again? Or has he something larger in mind?

By: peterlepaysan

peterlepaysan — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 10:00:57 +0000

I wonder how well informed he is about Finland these days?

By: Mike in Auckland

Mike in Auckland — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 07:56:09 +0000

In reply to J S Bark. He may even forget to "pull off" the string when parachuting for the cameras next time, there may be "hope"?!

By: Stuart Munro

Stuart Munro — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 05:03:17 +0000

I think the US & China will love Brownlee – a crude and stupid bully without a brain in his head or an an idea in it, who will scurry to sign NZ up for any dodgy cause. Really I think the point has been reached where voters take matters into their own hands and throw this worthless piece of crap out. You wouldn’t have it on your porch much less in your living room, you shouldn’t have to have it representing your country.

By: J S Bark

J S Bark — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 00:22:21 +0000

In reply to Ralph Boardman. I don't think Gerry has pulled it off for ages now...

By: Ralph Boardman

Ralph Boardman — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 23:42:36 +0000

I see a golden opportunity here for New Zealand to make a grand gesture for world peace and make a dollar or two on the side. We should offer maybe Auckland or Antipodes islands or both as venues for US and South Korea to conduct their war games.
Maybe Gerry is just the man to pull it off!

By: Francesca

Francesca — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 23:29:44 +0000

In reply to Historian pete. Historian Pete:: I'm flattered!