Context

• Steve Pierson
• 15 years ago
• Categories: bill english, election 2008, iraq, john key, national, youtube

Yesterday morning on Sunrise, John Key was moaning that there is no context to the latest secret agenda tape, where Bill English praises the war in Iraq and criticises Bill English’s ‘moralistic’ approach to international relations. Key is right, context helps us undestand information better. Luckily, Scoop’s library keeps every media release, so we can see what English was saying as leader of the Nats as the time of the invasion:

“The National Party strongly supports New Zealand’s traditional friends and allies, and like them it’s committed to regime change in Baghdad”

Luckily too, Labour08 has audio of Key speaking on Iraq in the House, from which Greeenwoman has produced a youtube video that put Key’s rant into its proper context:

For a final piece of context, here is Phil Goff, an experienced minister of foreign, defence, and trade, presenting a more, um, measured view of international relations