Hager: Uncomfortable truths
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7:53 am, May 5th, 2013 - 7 comments
Categories: afghanistan, defence, iraq, Spying, war -
Tags: afghanistan, iraq, nicky hager, other people's wars, phil twyford
Phil Twyford on Red Alert yesterday (ht Anne in comments) posted on an interesting talk:
Nicky Hager: Uncomfortable truths, NZ foreign policy in the ‘war on terror’
Author and investigative journalist Nicky Hager delivered this year’s Capt Jack Lyon Memorial Lecture. He draws on his book Other People’s Wars, telling the story of New Zealand’s involvement in the war in Afghanistan over the decade of the ‘war on terror’. As I say in my introduction, I think it is a cautionary tale for any future Labour-led government with a progressive, independent foreign policy. I am proud of the determination shown by Helen Clark and the Fifth Labour Government to keep New Zealand out of the invasion of Iraq….
You can find the Audio of both Twyford’s introduction and Hager’s talk here. A good review / summary of Hager’s book Other People’s Wars is here.
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Thank you for giving us the links. So far I have listened just to Phil Twyford’s intro and found that I can read the 2009 address of Maui Solomon relating to the Moriori and NZ ancient peace culture. So there is more listening and reading for me to do ready and waiting. Who wants to worry about getting digital tv? I’ll probably get round to the tv problem later.
Also I draw your attention to the interview Chris Laidlaw and Gerald Hensley, on a book he has written on the time of David Lange setting our nuclear free message afloat, and it also gives a window onto the big man himself. Gerald calls him a liar over his statement that he was ignorant of the arrangement with the United States to send a known non-nuclear ship the Buchanan.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday
11:12 Gerald Hensley – ANZUS Under Fire
Gerald Hensley has written a book telling the insider story of the collapse of the ANZUS military alliance. Gerald, who was involved in events at the time, has since interviewed key protagonists, who have spoken to him frankly about what was going on behind the scenes – what Bob Hawke and George Schultz really thought of David Lange; the internal machinations within the Labour Party; and the cultural loyalties, strategic objectives, and personal relationships that led to the collapse. (29′20″)
Download: Ogg Vorbis MP3 | Embed
The Prime Minister is not the Commander in Chief. The state says that the CiC is the Governor General, but the GG is appointed by Elizabeth II, who is CiC of the armed forced of Britian and Canada. The role of the Australian CiC is the same as for New Zealand.
For some perspective on the morality of the British “royalty”, please read about the Canadian residential school genocide (est 50000 children dead), the Boer War, the Tasmanian genocide, the 1875 Indian famine (12-29 million dead), or the Kenyan concentration camps.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2005/dec/27/eu.turkey
Defence Act 1990. Article 7:
“Power of Minister of Defence
For the purposes of the general responsibility of the Minister in relation to the defence of New Zealand, the Minister shall have the power of control of the New Zealand Defence Force, which shall be exercised through the Chief of Defence Force.”
The GG has the power to “raise” an army, and appoints the CiC, but does not control it.
The power of ministers in relation to defence is only assumed, not actual. Also, the ministers all swear an oath of allegiance to Elizabeth II. An oath of allegiance is the most powerful factor in matters of defence.
The Minister of Defence has control of the armed forces. That’s the law. The discrepancy between what you believe and reality is easily explained: you’re an idiot.
There is a difference between a lawful government and an empire of evil. Clearly that difference escapes you, One Anonymous Knucklehead.
If the minister of defence had control of the armed forces, the why was there such as gulf between the stated aims re Afghanistan and what actually happened?
Strange One Tane Kuna hasn’t been posting lately… Did you change your handle to avoid embarrassing Maori with your arrogant ignorance?
Well, Wayne Mapp went into some detail on the events in Afghanistan in this very forum a little while ago. That stated aims differ from outcomes is a circumstance not confined to military matters, but his comments don’t support your assertions.
Speaking of ignorance, One Tāne *Huna* = Kotahi Tāne Huna = One Anonymous Bloke = 一位不愿透露姓名的家伙 = One Anonymous Knucklehead = Kotahi Poroheahea Huna.
Speaking of arrogance, it would be arrogant indeed to assert that the command and control of the NZ armed forces is in the hands of Queen Elizabeth II, despite the laws of the land, without some sort of strong evidence, and yet there you go anyway.