Dulce et decorum est pro PR mori?
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8:55 am, September 7th, 2011 - 13 comments
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This post by I/S at NoRightTurn will upset some but I think it makes an important point. It’s natural to soothe the pain of a death by labeling the cause heroic. The danger is that this understandable emotional reaction becomes hijacked to justify continuing an SAS deployment that is all about currying favour with the US and was never worth a soldier’s life in the first place.
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The old lie
Yesterday Parliament paid tribute to Corporal Doug Grant, the SAS soldier recently killed in Afghanistan. One by one, the leaders of all parties stood up to mouth the usual platitudes: “fine man”, “noble cause”, “defending New Zealand”. Underneath it all, the same old lie, used by politicians whenever they send people off to die for their ambitions: dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.
It was a sickening display, made all the more sickening by the fact that it was bullshit layered on bullshit.
Afghanistan is not a war of self-defence. We’re not involved in it to “defend New Zealand”. We’re not even involved in it to help the international community. Instead, we’re there for one reason and one reason only: for the sake of closer relations with the United States, and the PR opportunities they bring the government of the day. And that, in the end, is what Corporal Grant died for: not for his country, but so that John Key could get a pre-election photo-op with President Obama.
No matter what you think of our relationship with the US, or of John Key, that’s not something that is worth a single human life.
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- Release: Poroporoaki: Ta Robert (Bom) Gillies
Kua hinga te manawa kairākau o Te Rua Tekau Ma Waru Tiwhatiwha te po! Kakarauru i te po! Ka rapuhia kei hea koe kua riro! Haere e te Ika a Whiro ki o tini hoa kua ngaro atu ki te Pō ...2 weeks ago
- Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principles Bill
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principle...
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ must pursue independent foreign policy
The Green Party says the need is greater than ever for Aotearoa New Zealand to pursue an independent foreign policy. ...2 weeks ago
- Child Protection Investigation Unit established
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Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Ka mihi ki te mana whenua ko Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. Kia ora and good morning everyone. Thank you Fran and Simon for inviting me here today, and importantly your leadership of this forum over several years now. I want to acknowledge David Gehrenbeck, Deputy ...5 hours ago
- Record number of submissions received on granny flat proposal
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- District Court Judge appointed
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- Appointments strengthen Predator Free 2050
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- New facility in Christchurch will improve the lives of young New Zealanders
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- Driver safety screens to be installed on Auckland buses
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news from the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) that bus driver protection screens will be installed across Auckland’s bus fleet by 2026.“The Government is committed to improving the safety of working environments for bus drivers, and Budget 2024 allocated $15 million of Crown funding over ...9 hours ago
- Government action provides Southland farmers more time to meet plan requirements
The Government is taking action to ensure Southland farmers and growers are not affected by unreasonable regional farm plan deadlines, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard say.“Cabinet has agreed to provide more time for farmers and growers to comply with regional rules ...1 day ago
- Bill reaffirms Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending
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- Critical milestones for earthquake buildings review
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- State of the art radiology machine for Auckland
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- Foreign Minister to visit Europe
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- First arrests made under gang patch ban
Police have made their first arrests under the new gang patch legislation, with two gang members arrested, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “Just before 11 this morning, Police in Wairoa apprehended a gang member for wearing a patch to the supermarket. He has been arrested and will now face enforcement ...1 day ago
- Better support for victims of sexual violence
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- Government moving forward with Regional Deals
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- MSA pilot participant update
One of the ten young men selected to participate in the Military-Style Academy Pilot has allegedly reoffended. Children’s Minister Karen Chhour is disappointed but says it would be naïve to think that none of these young men would reoffend. “I’m saddened that this young person has not taken this opportunity ...1 day ago
- Fighting for Kiwis in Trade
Delivered at Auckland Trade and Economic Policy School Good morning and thank you Deputy Vice Chancellor Lithander for your warm welcome and for inviting me to open Auckland Trade and Economic Policy School today. A Special thanks to the University of Auckland, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and ...1 day ago
- Attendance rates increase, again
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says that school attendance is continuing to rise. In Term 3 of 2024 51.3 per cent of students attended school regularly, an increase of 5.3 percentage points from 46 per cent in Term 3 of 2023. “This Government has prioritised student attendance and it is ...1 day ago
- Improving the lives of young New Zealanders
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- Government continues work to reinstate livestock exports by sea
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- Speech to the National Quality Forum 2024
Tēnā koutou katoa – it is a pleasure to be here today. I would like to begin by acknowledging the important leadership role you all play in ensuring a quality health system New Zealanders can trust. There is enormous clinical expertise in this room covering a wide range of disciplines. ...2 days ago
- New Zealand’s COP29 National Statement
Tēnā koutou katoa. Mr President, Excellencies, Delegates. New Zealand, and all nations represented here today, are already dealing with the impacts of climate change. Our households, businesses, and economies are bearing the costs of its effects. The choices we make now will shape the severity of these impacts for generations ...2 days ago
- Latest Quarterly Investment Report released
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- New Zealand supporting loss and damage fund
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced New Zealand will contribute NZ$10 million to the new Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage while at the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. “New Zealand is joining the global effort to address the significant challenge of responding to ...2 days ago
- Gang crackdown begins at stroke of midnight
The free ride for gangs is over when the clock strikes midnight tonight, with tough new laws officially coming into effect, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Police Minister Mark Mitchell say. “Gang patches will no longer be able to be worn in public. To earn the right to wear a ...2 days ago
- LGFA increases borrowing capacity to support high growth councils
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- Temporary Traffic Management costs revealed
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- Jurisdiction of Disputes Tribunal to double
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- Protecting New Zealand from foreign interference
Legislation that will specifically criminalise foreign interference and strengthen espionage offences has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “It is normal and appropriate for states to interact and work to influence one another. This encourages cooperation and can have mutually beneficial outcomes. “However, the reality ...3 days ago
- Significant milestone for Canterbury Road of National Significance
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news that the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board has approved funding towards pre-implementation and early works on the State Highway 1 (SH1) Belfast to Pegasus Motorway and Woodend Bypass Road of National Significance (RoNS). “Reaching this significant milestone is a reflection of our Government’s ...3 days ago
- Health survey results to help drive change
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says findings from the annual Health Survey highlight the need to continue driving better health outcomes for New Zealanders. The New Zealand Health Survey is an annual snapshot of key metrics measured from July 2023 – July 2024. Findings released this morning include: In 2023/24, ...3 days ago
- Final push needed to get to Smokefree 2025
A renewed effort to get people to quit smoking will build on what has worked to date and target the groups who most need support, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello said today. “The latest New Zealand Health Survey results show the daily smoking rate at 6.9 per cent and we ...3 days ago
- New diplomatic appointments
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced four new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign ...3 days ago
- Next steps for Regulatory Standards Bill
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- Red Tape Tipline goes live
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- Youth Parliament 2025 announced
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- Police stats show promising change
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- Better coordination of anti-scam efforts
With the launch of Fraud Awareness Week, the Government is committing to new coordination efforts across industry and government to combat online scams, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Online financial scams are a growing problem for New Zealand. New data released today shows that Kiwis lost nearly ...4 days ago
- Minister to consider 7AA select committee report
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- Defence Minister to attend ASEAN meeting
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- ACT’s David Seymour won’t ‘bow down’ to his hapū leaders
They have pleaded with the ACT leader to stop what they say are abusive violations of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. ...1 hour ago - Former political figure who abused teens loses name suppression
However, his name remains under wraps as he has already indicated he will appeal. ...2 hours ago
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- New Child Protection Investigation Unit announced by Children’s Minister
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The prime minister says it wasn't appropriate behaviour but that Erica Stanford had apologised. ...6 hours ago
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Every death in this conflict is one more heavy stone against the fragile balance of peace and democracy.
I hope the article upsets so many people that it forces most of them to finally and truthfully consider why we are there at all.
I wrote this blog post some time ago regarding the responsibility that goes with power and the consequences of changing the natural order of things. In the case of Afghanistan, they have had decades of interference and there can be no instant return to a natural equilibrium. That New Zealand took part in this debacle to the level that is being finally revealed is a point of shame.
http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.com/2011/04/power-responsibility.html
All the narratives of empire are lies.
The name of the game is to lie to the people successfully and keep them believing the lies.
Ordinary people are inculcated into narratives and rituals of empire from an early age. Most find it impossible to see the truth, even when it is right in front of their noses.
We will shortly be bombarded with the repetition of the official lies about 9/11, the pretext for the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Maybe we should sent some ‘peace-keepers’ to Libya to ‘help deliver freedom and democracy’ . After all, it’s never about the oil, is it?
Y’know, maybe on some recognisable anniversary connected to Afghanistan, all ‘us plebs’ should gather to pay tribute to all of the deaths in Afghanistan over the past years?
A reasonable focus/gathering point, in my mind would be the war memorials up and down the country. They were erected afterall, on the back of sentiments of ‘never again’? And yet it all just keeps happening over and over and over….
And the original sentiment has been subverted somewhat by what I’d term ‘ceremonies of glorification and hero worship’ by the very agencies who instigate and excuse the atrocious environments of slaughter.
Just a thought.
Isn’t it also a conflict of interest now with the Nat’s ‘mine/dig/drill wherever for whatever’ bent at odds with supporting the US’s quest for more natural resources to plunder/keep flowing back to uncle sam’s.
Keeps them further from using resources the nat’s maintain we simply must develop the longer it lasts.
sorry tc, maybe i am missing something but i am having trouble deciphering what you mean ??
National selling all that is under Aotearoa is completely inline with the wishes of Sam’s war machine.
Where is the conflict of interest?
Between our politicians job of doing what is right for NZ and them actually doing what the US corporations want.
silly me, i automatically bypass that point whenever National are in power and over the years i plum forgot that doing what is right for NZ is part of their job
Journalist Stephen Glain on US Militarism.
What makes it all the more interesting is the fact that while we are pretending to fight Islamic extremists in Afghanistan we are, by allowing our SAS to partake in battle, the US and NATO to pull out their troops to support Islamic extremists who want to start a Sharia based fundamentalist Muslim and extremely racist state in Libya. What do you think of them apples?
Why cry about one stinking soldier anyway?
His life was as insignificant as a pimple on the butt of an elephant anyway!
What did that soldier do to make life better on this earth? How many people did he murder? The SAS are, after all, our own band of international professional killers.
Never mind, we have more fools ready for the meat grinder!
You have no idea what type of man he was, how he lived in his life? That was a pretty cruel post.
The man was the sharp end of a vast international political war machine.
As a farmer, poet or father I am sure he was outstanding. But that is not the role we are commenting on.