WikiLeaks - New Zealand, the United States of America, the Iraq War and credibility...

Image via WikipediaWikiLeaks - New Zealand, the United States of America, the Iraq War and credibility...


Some more Wikileaks revelations: Was Fonterra the reason New Zealand sent troops to Iraq - troops for butter?

Leaks suggest that former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark - the current Number Three at the United Nations - changed her previous decision not to send troops to Iraq, because it was feared NZ would miss out on lucrative Oil for Food contracts.

The claim was made in an extraordinary cable labelling New Zealanders as either "first worlders" - pro-American - or "other worlders" - anyone anti-American or pro- New Zealand's nuclear -free legislation.

The cable revealed that embassy staff were briefed on Iraq by senior defence officials, who are not named and whose information is noted as being strictly protected.

"Senior MOD officials claimed it wasn't until Finance Minister, Michael Cullen, pointed out in a later Cabinet meeting that New Zealand's absence from Iraq might cost NZ dairy conglomerate Fonterra the lucrative dairy supply contract it enjoyed under the Oil for Food program, that PM Clark  found a face-saving compromise and sent combat engineers in a non-combat role to Basra, where they were embedded with the British forces.

Be that as it may, New Zealand's original decision not to send troops to Iraq was because the Iraq War was not a UN sanctioned military action. Later it was proven there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, one of the reasons for the US and its Coalition Of The Willing gave for being in Iraq.

I guess there is more to be written about New Zealand's decision, as there is about America's late involvement in two world wars, both of which had New Zealand involvement in day one of each.

It has been said also that the US had no interest at all in discussing a free trade agreement with New Zealand, but seemed annoyed that NZ was able to arrange one with China and other Asian countries.

And during that period even some American officials were uncertain whether NZ was a friendly nation or an ally. I thought the latter had been written in blood during  two world wars, and the Korean and Vietenam wars. This created some distrust of the US by NZ officials and people alike. This continues today with those with longer memories. Conflicting comments by Hillary Clinton causes some uncertainty too. Perhaps it is a very good thing that Barack Obama won the last presidential election, not her! I personally can distinguish between the American system and the friendly, generous  and genuine American people.

Just what other revelations are there for WikiLeaks to surprise us with?

http://huttriver.blog.co.uk

http://kiwiriverman.blogspot.com

Related articles

• Clark sent troops to Iraq over Fonterra - cables (nzherald.co.nz)
• WikiLeaks cable: Scene-setter for Helen Clark's US visit (nzherald.co.nz)
• US wanted military accords kept quiet (nzherald.co.nz)
• Iraq - WikiLeaks - More Damaging Revelations for the US [Zahir shamsery] (ecademy.com)
• WikiLeaks cable: NZ: Demarche on UNSCR 1718 delivered (nzherald.co.nz)
• WikiLeaks cable: CDR CENTCOM visit to New Zealand (nzherald.co.nz)

John key should ask Helen Clark for advice because he is stuffing up ENZED...

Image via Wikipedia

A story from Hutts Blogesphere:


John Key wants to jump into bed with the Chinese and introduce alien policies here...

Image via WikipediaIs the John Key led National government a fascist administration? Why are they attacking mostly young Kiwi workers with their 90 day trials for new workers and now demanding a doctor's note for the first day off work sick. I understand this is the way things have been done in the US; but the US is hardly a leader in social and workplace policies, are they? Yet New Zealand's rightwing pollies rush there to learn how to kick workers in the guts.



NZ once led the world in social policies and was a world leader in labour relations too. Now it is like a little snot-nosed kid in the world of adults. John key and his rusty lock excuse for an administration will probably be introducing Chinese policies into New Zealand. This dimwit politician want's Kiwis to learn Mandarin. Why would we? There may well be some benefit for those dealing direct with China, but for the majority there is no need - the Chinese can learn English properly if they want to deal with us.



John Key wants to jump into bed with the Chinese and introduce alien policies. Is he looking for a job after poiltics? Helen Clark got a job at the United Nations - is ranked number three there! John Key is not fit to clean Ms Clark's shoes!


He should ask Helen Clark for advice because he is stuffing up ENZED!


http://huttsblogesphere.blogspot.com/

Related articles by Zemanta

• Former NZ PM Helen Clark receives nation's highest award... (peter-petterson.blogspot.com)
• New Zealand PM John Key tells reporters: I've had a vasectomy (telegraph.co.uk)
• Kiwi PM apologises to Maoris. (politics.ie)
• "22 Dec 2008 - Key's shares in vineyard owner, Devils Creek Ltd (now Highwater) transferred to Whitechapel Ltd" and related posts (labour.org.nz)
• 'I've had a vasectomy': New Zealand PM cuts press conference short (guardian.co.uk)
• Chinese bodyguards attack NZ MP in Parliament grounds (norightturn.blogspot.com)
• New Zealand Prime Minister to visit Vietnam (lookatvietnam.com)
• PRESS DIGEST-New Zealand newspapers - July 5 (reuters.com)
• Kiwi ISP Already Disconnecting Alleged Pirates (torrentfreak.com)

Helen clark spending her holiday in NZ...

Helen Clark spending holiday in NZ...

Former prime minister Helen Clark is spending her holiday back home in New Zealand.

She says she is enjoying time out from her busy job as head of the United Nations Development Programme.

Helen Clark will spend time at the beach and in the countryside, and hopes to do some hiking as well before returning to New York City in the new year.

Come back Helen - your country needs you. A smiling political lightweight just doesn't do it for me. The key doesn't fit the lock, either!

Acknowledgements: - NEWSTALK ZB

Looking like a one term government...

Oh dear oh, dear! They are just a bunch of Tories and proving it. The first hundred days of the new government is over, and they are now looking like a one term government.

The 'nine day fornight;; the 'cycle track' from the Cape to the Bluff.

Labour oriented people are getting kicked off all the boards - they want Tories. Except Mike Cullen of course, but Mike is giving up politics anyway, so will be the exception. Why kick a person out just because of their politics? Jim Bolger, former Tory prime minister was actually head-hunted because they wanted a person of ability to run KiwiBank, and other boards.

Give them another year and their incompetence will be obvious. Its Labour in 2011, without Helen and Mike too! They say PhilGoff is just a "fill-in", we'll see!

Thanks for the Labour memories, Helen, Michael and Jim...

With Helen Clark gone, and now Michael Cullen, the leadership of the Labour-led Government of nine years has gone. Jim Anderton is just a back bencher of a one man band. Phil Gough, new Labour leader, is facetiously described as just "filling in".

Times have changed; deteriorating economic conditions can do that to a government who defeated Don Brash three years ago when he thought victory was inevitable.

John Key,(who?)seems so unchallengeable, but National is in the same situation as Labour was for nine years - a two man band with a number of support crew!

But the difference is National won't and can't last for six years, let alone nine years, and maybe no more than three!

The economic tsunami will wash John Key away eventually, and maybe Bill the English Speaker may survive, and maybe he will get washed away just like Johnny Kash!

By then Labour's next generation will have been decided and blooded, but it will be a long time before they can produce anybody remotely of the stature or class of Helen Clark. New Zealand will be so much the poorer for her absence, but maybe the world will benefit in some other direction.

Thenk you Helen, and you too Michael and Jim. Thanks for those two good terms of government, especially the first when you led New Zealand back from the brink of social disaster and to economic sanity. Thanks for the memories. New Zealand will thank you three too in time to come. Bye for now!

Labour plans on infastructure spending supported...

Great stuff Helen Clark and Labour! Labour was also under no obligation to advise John Key about anything. Key would only use the opportunity to politicise the matter.


PM Clark proposes more infrastructure spending to stimulate economy if it weakens too much; mini-Dec budget if Labour wins election

Prime Minister Helen Clark says Labour will consider bringing forward infrastructure spending if economic conditions do not improve.

In response to the financial instability around the world, the government will guarantee all bank deposits in order to stop panic withdrawals. The Australian government made a similar move last week.

The guarantee will cover people who have savings with building societies, credit unions, finance companies and cash portfolio investment schemes. Banks with deposits up to $5 billion will not be charged for taking part in the scheme, but for deposits over that amount, a fee will be charged.

Miss Clark made the the announcement at the launch of the Labour's election campaign in Auckland yesterday. She also outlined a spending plan which is intended to stimulate the economy if needed. It includes bringing forward infrastructure spending and building projects such as school properties and extending the rail line from Whangarei to Marsden Point. Miss Clark says if Labour wins next month's election, it will devise a mini-budget in December.

A spokesman for National leader John Key says the party had been in contact with the Reserve Bank about its plans for the banking sector, but was not consulted at all, about Labour's proposal to guarantee bank deposits.



Compliments:
© 2008 NZCity, NewsTalkZB

Glenn admission a political bombshell - who is the old goat in the story...

Glenn admission a "political bombshell" - who is the old goat in the story...

The Privileges Committee must decide whether to believe Winston Peters or Owen Glenn over a $100,000 donation

Parliament's Privileges Committee now has to decide who it wants to believe.

In a letter to the committee (click here to read letter as PDF), businessman Owen Glenn says Winston Peters sought help from him for the legal fund during a conversation when the pair met in Sydney. He says the New Zealand First leader thanked him for the $100,000 payment when they met again at the Karaka yearling sales in early 2006.

Mr Peters says he has no recollection of asking Mr Owen for money. Privileges Committee chairman Simon Power says the contradiction will be something for MPs to consider.

"The nature of that evidence appears inconsistent with the evidence given by Mr Peters and Mr Henry (Winston Peters' lawyer)."

Mr Power says the committee meets again next Thursday.

Newstalk ZB Political Editor Barry Soper says the letter from Mr Glenn is a "political bombshell" and could prove costly for Prime Minister Helen Clark.

"If she does anything to Winston Peters in terms of firing him from Cabinet, which in my view she's duty-bound to do, she can probably kiss goodbye to the Emissions Trading Scheme."

New Zealand First MP Dail Jones has accused Owen Glenn of contradicting himself. He says Mr Glenn's credibility is at stake, and Mr Peters has told the truth.

However the MP who laid the privileges complaints against Mr Peters says today's revelations spell the end of the New Zealand First leader's career. ACT leader Rodney Hide says it is now clear that Mr Peters misled Parliament and the Prime Minister has to make an ethical stand - and stand Mr Peters down. He says she is clutching to power as she tries to get the Emissions Trading Scheme through.

New Zealand First was due to reveal whether it will support the scheme sometime today.

An interesting old time in the Parliament these days. Helen will make her decision when it suits her and her Government. Remember that an election is impending.

Is the National Party a clean green alternative? Yeah right! If the Government is to be damned, then the whole caboodle is damned!



>> More Politics News
© 2008 NZCity, NewsTalkZB

Helen Clark right to apologise for the 4th Labour Government...

I congratulate and as a New Zealander, accept Helen Clark's apology for the excesses of the Fourth Labour Government, of which she was a cabinet minister. That government had never been given a mandate for its market economic policies. Some have said that retrospectively speaking its economic policies were badly needed. I don't know about that, but New Zealand as we knew it was changed for ever in many respects.

What the Fourth Labour government did was to provide a springboard for the subsequent National Party government's even more excessive economic and social policies, such as the Employment Contracts Act, which harmed new Zealand socially more than any policy in sixty years, outside the 1951 Holland Emergency Powers regulations during the Watersiders Lockout.

The ECA on its own disempowered the trade union movement, reduced real wages, gave employers the flexibility to totally change the hours of work from 40 hours to a seven day week economy without, in many cases, any compensation for extra hours worked; and destroyed many full time positions in the process, replacing them with part-time and temporary positions, something not changed to this day . Double overtime rates have become a historical curiosity - many workers lost 100-200 dollars a week from the initial changes. Senior workers became the biggest casualties of such changes. Employers were very happy and grateful for the millions of dollars in savings made because of the imposition of the ECA on the New Zealand workforce.

The Lange/ Douglas regime used its anti-nuclear legislation to hide the affects of its market economic 'Rogernomics' from the New Zealand population. Initially Lange didn't want a bar of the anti-nuclear legislation, but soon came around to the Douglas cliche way of thinking. Lange became an ardent public supporter of the anti-nuclear legislation, using his impressive oratory powers to convince doubters of its value to NZ. Even the following National Government was loath to make any changes, because of the value of the legislation to NZ as a country.

Helen Clark was a female member of a sexist cabinet and was advised to keep her head down, perform her duties and not to interfere in other portfolios. Being politically ambitious she wisely accepted the advice given, and has politically outlived the others in that government. She has become a survivor and the New Zealand people have benefitted from her three terms as one of New Zealand's most capable prime minister's of a most progressive government.

As I wrote earlier, I thank Helen Clark for her apologies of being involved in the excesses of Rogernomics. She must be elected for a fourth term as prime minister. We must continue with a progressive left of centre government. We can not afford as a nation and a society to a return to a reactionary right wing administration.

Labour doesn't govern by popularity polls - John Key honeymoon will soon be over...

National has announced it has dropped its opposition to the Kyoto protocol and will cut climate change emissions by 50% by 2050. Well I hope it keeps its word. Apart from the fact it probably won't be in government much of that period now that we have a well established MMP electoral system, many of us won't be alive in 2050. Rhetoric, John, rhetoric! With countries like Australia and the US who didn't support the Kyoto protocol initially, now having to support policies to cut climate change emissions.

So National finally has a leader who has overtaken an overworked Labour prime minister, Helen Clark, in the polls. She should have been struggling for quite a while now, considering the flack the government has taken on a variety of fronts.The only real poll comes on election day, and this government, led by New Zealand's best prime minister in decades,doesn't govern by popularity polls.

Just how many times will Key and National get away with their backflipping on the Kyoto protocol, Kiwisaver, income- related State Housing rents, and most likely, student loans. The Government has to deal with the anti-smacking debate, interest rates, the high dollar and now, with tax cuts because Australia has done so in its election budget. I have confidence in Michael Cullen's econonomic management and his reasons why a small tax cut will do little to help Kiwi workers. The Working for Family policy is working its way through the economy now and will help most families more than some small tax cuts. I say small because that is all National has given in the past and would be able to give in the future if NZ voters were stupid enough to vote them into power.

The National Party cannot position itself in the middle of the political spectrum in New Zealand politics because it is still a strongly right wing party. John Key simply does not have a credible vehicle to drive to electoral victory. Look at the people he is surrounded by - all previously badly defeated New Right economic, social and industrial relations apologists. All I can say to John Key is to make the most of his little political honeymoon because future polls will be questioning his credibility. It will take the pressure off Helen Clark a little, and let her concentrate on working for the New Zealand people, not the little gnomes and gnomelets who have prospered since market economics became established in Newe Zealand.

National has announced it has dropped its opposition to the Kyoto protocol and will cut climate change emissions by 50% by 2050. Well I hope it keeps its word. Apart from the fact it probably won't be in government much of that period now that we have a well established MMP electoral system, many of us won't be alive in 2050. Rhetoric, John, rhetoric! With countries like Australia and the US who didn't support the Kyoto protocol initially, now having to support policies to cut climate change emissions.

So National finally has a leader who has overtaken an overworked Labour prime minister, Helen Clark, in the polls. She should have been struggling for quite a while now, considering the flack the government has taken on a variety of fronts.The only real poll comes on election day, and this government, led by New Zealand's best prime minister in decades,doesn't govern by popularity polls.

Just how many times will Key and National get away with their backflipping on the Kyoto protocol, Kiwisaver, income- related State Housing rents, and most likely, student loans. The Government has to deal with the anti-smacking debate, interest rates, the high dollar and now, with tax cuts because Australia has done so in its election budget. I have confidence in Michael Cullen's econonomic management and his reasons why a small tax cut will do little to help Kiwi workers. The Working for Family policy is working its way through the economy now and will help most families more than some small tax cuts. I say small because that is all National has given in the past and would be able to give in the future if NZ voters were stupid enough to vote them into power.

The National Party cannot position itself in the middle of the political spectrum in New Zealand politics because it is still a strongly right wing party. John Key simply does not have a credible vehicle to drive to electoral victory. Look at the people he is surrounded by - all previously badly defeated New Right economic, social and industrial relations apologists. All I can say to John Key is to make the most of his little political honeymoon because future polls will be questioning his credibility. It will take the pressure off Helen Clark a little, and let her concentrate on working for the New Zealand people, not the little gnomes and gnomelets who have prospered since market economics became established in Newe Zealand.

No reason to vote for National, Labour is managing NZ well...

There is no reason to vote for National, Labour is managing NZ well, despite all the anti-government rhetoric! National doesn't have any leadership - apart from boys wanting to do a man's job: Batman and Robin! Boy wonders, Johnny and Billy? Yeah right!

National doesn't have any new policies other than regurgitated New Right failed policies rejected by New Zealanders in 1999 and ever since. But lets get serious and comment on the Key rhetoric, the Clayton's policies when you have none!

I don't know what Key meant in his published address in today's Dominion Post newspaper in relation to relitigating history. We have had some great things in the past that we have to remember and, obviously, some we would wish to forget. We somtimes have to look back to go forward and not make those same mistakes: electing Muldoon 1975-84; Bolger and Shipley 1990-99. These were watershed years in relation to future economic policies.Borrow and hope with Muldoon, and the 'Mother of all Budgets' with Bolger and Richardson.

In some respects John Key is right, the future is centred around the economy, education and the environment - but he left out health which is just as important and of course, employment. Global warming will be an important subject for the Labour led Government during the next ten or so years, and the Leader of the Opposition, John Key, will be able to make important contributions in that area, considering the amount of hot wind that emanates from the National caucus.

Helen Clark has not lost her mojo, John Key.You haven't been around long enough to have one. Her popularity continues to rise. She is halfway through her third term; that in itself is quite an achievement.She has had many difficut problems to overcome which she has dealt with in a professional manner, despite all the rhetoric of the rightwing opposition and its fellow travellers who are widespread and varied.

Labour hasn't lost the pulse of the New Zealand people. Labour is continuing to deal with the various problems that exist to help lift New Zealanders up the ladder; the labels are as irrelevant as the National Party is to New Zealand and New Zealanders.The Government's Working for Families policy will help New Zealand families, as will the tax policy in the budget to assist NZ businesses.

I see absolutely no reason why there should be a change of government; there is no real alternative in any case. National? Yeah right! As they alway said, Labour governs and National rules!

Many of the problems of yesteryear have not been dealt with - there is still no real industrial democracy, especially in the private sector; Labour should have totally scrapped the fascist Employment Contracts Act and gone back to the original industrial legislation, not amend it with the present insipid Employment Relations Act. New Zealand workers still have battles to fight and win; such as regaining double time overtime rates as of right!

There are still challenges ahead; there are the forces of the unholy rightwing alliance to overcome - the New Right economic policies of the National and Act parties and the social policies espoused by the various fundamentalist Christian sects which are as dangerous as those of its Islamic counterparts.

Until next time!

The PM tells it like it is. Rickards rise through the police force was as a bully boy! He doesn't deserve a job as a bottle washer in the police canteen. All of NZ, apart from the rightwingers who support the National Party, want to see the back of this disgrace to the NZ Police Force. He should resign forthwith!

PM says Rickard's rise was due to police culture
Helen Clark says Clint Rickards had steady rise through police until he ran into the obstacle of her. And then he went no where fast!

3 April 2007 The Prime Minister claims a police culture of "looking after their own" was the only reason Clint Rickards rose to be Auckland's top cop.The Commission of Inquiry into Police Conduct released today identifies a culture of police turning a blind eye to misdemeanours involving officers.Helen Clark says that is why Clint Rickards had a steady rise through the police until he put his name forward to be a Deputy Commissioner."He then ran into the obstacle of me and the Minister of Police, who on becoming aware of the nature of the allegations (against Mr Rickards) and the fact that they were still circulating, declined to consider forwarding his name to the Governor General for a warrant."Miss Clark says there was clearly a better person for the job.Mr Rickards wants to return to his job as Auckland's district commander after being cleared of historical indecent assault and rape charges.His lawyer John Haig says he is appalled at today's comments from the Prime Minister. Mr Haigh says her statement about his client is wrong and has no validity whatsoever.