Don’t mention the war

4 comments on “Don’t mention the war ”

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1. Bryce Edwards 1

   3 October 2007 at 4:50 pm

   John Key just can’t deal with the Iraq issue. He should take some lessons from Helen Clark. She’s been able to (almost successfully) rewrite history to suggest that her and the Labour Party were against the war on terror. This conveniently forgets a few things:

   * Labour fully participated in the invasion and occupation of Afghanistan (which isn’t actually going a whole lot better than in Iraq).
   * Labour sent a frigate to the gulf to help the US in the war
   * Clark was quite ambivalent about sending troops to Iraq, professing a strong preference for a UN-mandated invasion, but an invasion nonetheless
   * She fully believed that Iraq possessed ‘weapons of mass destruction’ and spoke numerous times in the lead up to the invasion about the need to disarm Saddam Hussein.
   * Clark refused to have any criticism of the invasion of Iraq (until many months into the invasion when it was obviously a disaster)

   The National Party have terrible positions on Iraq and the war on terror. But those that have been in Government during this time have actually been directly complicit in this crap. So Clark, the Labour Party, and now The Standard have blood on their hands.

   Bryce
   http://www.liberation.org.nz
2. Sam Dixon 2

   3 October 2007 at 8:36 pm

   The frigate was part of the UN-mandated force enforcing the controls on Iraqi oil exports in conjunction with the Oil-for-Food program. Seperate thing from the US-led invasion.

   Labour’s criticism of the invasion was generally muted – although I seem to recall there were parliamentary debates on it, be interesting to check the Hansard, except I’m far too lazy for that.

   But Bryce, please explain how The Standard has blood on its hands.
3. Bryce Edwards 3

   4 October 2007 at 4:17 pm

   Hi Sam – maybe my assumption that The Standard is complicit in defending the Government’s involvement in the War on Terror was unfounded. I had assumed you’d be just as much in favour of the War on Terror as the Labour Government is. Please let me know if you’re not. In particular, I guess it’d be interesting to know if the Standard is opposed to:
   [1] the invasion and occupation of Iraq (with or without a UN mandate)
   [2] sending NZ troops to the occupation of Iraq
   [3] sending SAS troops to Afghanistan
   [4] Reprimanding acting PM Jim Anderton for his criticisms of the Iraq occupation; and distancing the Govt from the remarks
   [5] the former sanctions applied to Iraq which led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians.

   Bryce
   http://www.liberation.org.nz
4. Tane 4

   4 October 2007 at 5:06 pm

   Bryce, I think it goes without saying that none of us would have supported the invasion of Iraq, but as for the rest you’d have to ask us on an individual basis. We all share similar social democratic principles, but just ’cause we’re a collective doesn’t mean we all think the same.

   For what it’s worth, I personally oppose 1,2,4 and 5 and support 3. But as I say, that’s just speaking for myself.

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