Alert Memo to President Obama: it’s better to Jaw Jaw Jaw than War War War
Written By:
- Date published:
10:57 am, October 5th, 2016 - 68 comments
Categories: afghanistan, colonialism, defence, International, iraq, kremlinology, Media, Syria, us politics, war -
Tags:
It’s timely that Ad has just written a post on the ancient Greek concepts of power and principle in the governing of nations.
Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS) is a group of current and former US intelligence workers some of whom have spent their careers in organisations like the NSA, CIA, DIA and INR.
Amongst their associates or members are former senior intelligence professionals and whistleblower extraordinaires like Ray McGovern (a long time CIA analyst who prepared and presented President H.W. Bush’s daily briefing) and Bill Binney (former Technical Director of the NSA, in charge of 6,000 NSA employees and one of the smartest and most effective Cold War communications analysts the US had).
They recently warned President Obama that parts of his inner circle in the US Government were intent on escalating a major conflict with Russia, but that there was still time to urgently change course.
Anti-Russian and anti-Putin hysteria is being fanned constantly by propagandising western media and western bloggers who appear to have little concept of the potential consequences of their actions, and who have no interest in the simple idea that other countries also have their own sovereignty, own populations and own national security interests to protect within the framework of international law.
VIPS presents an alternative perspective to that fanned by the western MSM: that of detente and of de-escalation – which were concepts present throughout the Cold War. And this from a group of US professionals that no one can accuse of being ‘Putin lapdogs.’
The VIPS Alert Memorandum to Obama is available on Consortium News, and is reprinted in full here:
ALERT MEMORANDUM FOR: The President
FROM: Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity
SUBJECT: PREVENTING STILL WORSE IN SYRIA
We write to alert you, as we did President George W. Bush, six weeks before the attack on Iraq, that the consequences of limiting your circle of advisers to a small, relatively inexperienced coterie with a dubious record for wisdom can prove disastrous.* Our concern this time regards Syria.
We are hoping that your President’s Daily Brief tomorrow will give appropriate attention to Saturday’s warning by Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova: “If the US launches a direct aggression against Damascus and the Syrian Army, it would cause a terrible, tectonic shift not only in the country, but in the entire region.”
Speaking on Russian TV, she warned of those whose “logic is ‘why do we need diplomacy’ … when there is power … and methods of resolving a problem by power. We already know this logic; there is nothing new about it. It usually ends with one thing – full-scale war.”
We are also hoping that this is not the first you have heard of this – no doubt officially approved – statement. If on Sundays you rely on the “mainstream” press, you may well have missed it. In the Washington Post, an abridged report of Zakharova’s remarks (nothing about “full-scale war”) was buried in the last paragraph of an 11-paragraph article titled “Hospital in Aleppo is hit again by bombs.” Sunday’s New York Times totally ignored the Foreign Ministry spokesperson’s statements.
In our view, it would be a huge mistake to allow your national security advisers to follow the example of the Post and Times in minimizing the importance of Zakharova’s remarks.
Events over the past several weeks have led Russian officials to distrust Secretary of State John Kerry. Indeed, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who parses his words carefully, has publicly expressed that distrust. Some Russian officials suspect that Kerry has been playing a double game; others believe that, however much he may strive for progress through diplomacy, he cannot deliver on his commitments because the Pentagon undercuts him every time. We believe that this lack of trust is a challenge that must be overcome and that, at this point, only you can accomplish this.
It should not be attributed to paranoia on the Russians’ part that they suspect the Sept. 17 U.S. and Australian air attacks on Syrian army troops that killed 62 and wounded 100 was no “mistake,” but rather a deliberate attempt to scuttle the partial cease-fire Kerry and Lavrov had agreed on – with your approval and that of President Putin – that took effect just five days earlier.
In public remarks bordering on the insubordinate, senior Pentagon officials showed unusually open skepticism regarding key aspects of the Kerry-Lavrov deal. We can assume that what Lavrov has told his boss in private is close to his uncharacteristically blunt words on Russian NTV on Sept. 26:
“My good friend John Kerry … is under fierce criticism from the US military machine. Despite the fact that, as always, [they] made assurances that the US Commander in Chief, President Barack Obama, supported him in his contacts with Russia (he confirmed that during his meeting with President Vladimir Putin), apparently the military does not really listen to the Commander in Chief.”
Lavrov’s words are not mere rhetoric. He also criticized JCS Chairman Joseph Dunford for telling Congress that he opposed sharing intelligence with Russia, “after the agreements concluded on direct orders of Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama stipulated that they would share intelligence. … It is difficult to work with such partners. …”
Policy differences between the White House and the Pentagon are rarely as openly expressed as they are now over policy on Syria. We suggest you get hold of a new book to be released this week titled The General vs. the President: MacArthur and Truman at the Brink of Nuclear War by master historian H. W. Brands. It includes testimony, earlier redacted, that sheds light on why President Truman dismissed WWII hero Gen. Douglas MacArthur from command of U.N. forces in Korea in April 1951. One early reviewer notes that “Brands’s narrative makes us wonder about challenges of military versus civilian leadership we still face today.” You may find this new book more relevant at this point in time than the Team of Rivals.
The door to further negotiations remains ajar. In recent days, officials of the Russian foreign and defense ministries, as well as President Putin’s spokesman, have carefully avoided shutting that door, and we find it a good sign that Secretary Kerry has been on the phone with Foreign Minister Lavrov. And the Russians have also emphasized Moscow’s continued willingness to honor previous agreements on Syria.
In the Kremlin’s view, Russia has far more skin in the game than the U.S. does. Thousands of Russian dissident terrorists have found their way to Syria, where they obtain weapons, funding, and practical experience in waging violent insurgency. There is understandable worry on Moscow’s part over the threat they will pose when they come back home. In addition, President Putin can be assumed to be under the same kind of pressure you face from the military to order it to try to clean out the mess in Syria “once and for all,” regardless how dim the prospects for a military solution are for either side in Syria.
We are aware that many in Congress and the “mainstream” media are now calling on you to up the ante and respond – overtly or covertly or both – with more violence in Syria. Shades of the “Washington Playbook,” about which you spoke derisively in interviews with the Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg earlier this year. We take some encouragement in your acknowledgment to Goldberg that the “playbook” can be “a trap that can lead to bad decisions” – not to mention doing “stupid stuff.”
Goldberg wrote that you felt the Pentagon had “jammed” you on the troop surge for Afghanistan seven years ago and that the same thing almost happened three years ago on Syria, before President Putin persuaded Syria to surrender its chemical weapons for destruction. It seems that the kind of approach that worked then should be tried now, as well – particularly if you are starting to feel jammed once again.
Incidentally, it would be helpful toward that end if you had one of your staffers tell the “mainstream” media to tone down it puerile, nasty – and for the most part unjustified and certainly unhelpful – personal vilification of President Putin.
Renewing direct dialogue with President Putin might well offer the best chance to ensure an end, finally, to unwanted “jamming.” We believe John Kerry is correct in emphasizing how frightfully complicated the disarray in Syria is amid the various vying interests and factions. At the same time, he has already done much of the necessary spadework and has found Lavrov for the most part, a helpful partner.
Still, in view of lingering Russian – and not only Russian – skepticism regarding the strength of your support for your secretary of state, we believe that discussions at the highest level would be the best way to prevent hotheads on either side from risking the kind of armed confrontation that nobody should want.
Therefore, we strongly recommend that you invite President Putin to meet with you in a mutually convenient place, in order to try to sort things out and prevent still worse for the people of Syria.
In the wake of the carnage of World War II, Winston Churchill made an observation that is equally applicable to our 21st Century: “To jaw, jaw, jaw, is better than to war, war, war.”
The VIPS memorandum is signed:
For the Steering Group, Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity
William Binney, former Technical Director, World Geopolitical & Military Analysis, NSA; co-founder, SIGINT Automation Research Center (ret.)
Fred Costello, Former Russian Linguist, USAF
Mike Gravel, former Adjutant, top secret control officer, Communications Intelligence Service; special agent of the Counter Intelligence Corps and former United States Senator
Matthew Hoh, former Capt., USMC, Iraq & Foreign Service Officer, Afghanistan (associate VIPS)
Larry C. Johnson, CIA & State Department (ret.)
John Kiriakou, former CIA counterterrorism officer and former senior investigator, Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Linda Lewis, WMD preparedness policy analyst, USDA (ret.) (associate VIPS)
Edward Loomis, NSA, Cryptologic Computer Scientist (ret.)
Ray McGovern, former US Army infantry/intelligence officer & CIA analyst (ret.)
Elizabeth Murray, Deputy National Intelligence Officer for Middle East, CIA (ret.)
Todd Pierce, MAJ, US Army Judge Advocate (ret.)
Coleen Rowley, Division Counsel & Special Agent, FBI (ret.)
Kirk Wiebe, former Senior Analyst, SIGINT Automation Research Center, NSA, (ret.)
Robert Wing, former Foreign Service Officer
Ann Wright, U.S. Army Reserve Colonel (ret) and former U.S. Diplomat
* In a Memorandum to President Bush criticizing Colin Powell’s address to the UN earlier on February 5, 2003, VIPS ended with these words: “After watching Secretary Powell today, we are convinced that you would be well served if you widened the discussion … beyond the circle of those advisers clearly bent on a war for which we see no compelling reason and from which we believe the unintended consequences are likely to be catastrophic.”
68 comments on “Alert Memo to President Obama: it’s better to Jaw Jaw Jaw than War War War ”
- Comments are now closed
- Comments are now closed
Recent Comments
- Chris Bishop: Smokin’
Yes. Correct. It was an election result. And now we are the elected government. ...11 hours ago - 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #48
A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 26, 2023 thru Dec 2, 2023. Story of the Week CO2 readings from Mauna Loa show failure to combat climate change Daily atmospheric carbon dioxide data from Hawaiian volcano more ...11 hours ago - Affirmative Action.
Affirmative Action was a key theme at this election, although I don’t recall anyone using those particular words during the campaign.They’re positive words, and the way the topic was talked about was anything but. It certainly wasn’t a campaign of saying that Affirmative Action was a good thing, but that, ...17 hours ago - 100 days of something
It was at the end of the Foxton straights, at the end of 1978, at 100km/h, that someone tried to grab me from behind on my Yamaha.They seemed to be yanking my backpack. My first thought was outrage. My second was: but how? Where have they come from? And my ...18 hours ago - Look who’s stepped up to champion Winston
There’s no news to be gleaned from the government’s official website today – it contains nothing more than the message about the site being under maintenance. The time this maintenance job is taking and the costs being incurred have us musing on the government’s commitment to an assault on inflation. ...1 day ago - What's The Story?
Don’t you sometimes wish they’d just tell the truth? No matter how abhorrent or ugly, just straight up tell us the truth?C’mon guys, what you’re doing is bad enough anyway, pretending you’re not is only adding insult to injury.Instead of all this bollocks about the Smokefree changes being to do ...2 days ago - The longest of weeks
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Friday Under New Management Week in review, quiz style1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. ...2 days ago - Suggested sessions of EGU24 to submit abstracts toLike earlier this year, members from our team will be involved with next year's General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU). The conference will take place on premise in Vienna as well as online from April 14 to 19, 2024. The session catalog has been available since November 1 ...2 days ago
- Under New Management
1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. Under New Management 2. Which of these best describes the 100 days of action announced this week by the new government?a. Petulantb. Simplistic and wrongheaded c. ...2 days ago - While we wait patiently, our new Minister of Education is up and going with a 100-day action planSorry to say, the government’s official website is still out of action. When Point of Order paid its daily visit, the message was the same as it has been for the past week: Site under maintenance Beehive.govt.nz is currently under maintenance. We will be back shortly. Thank you for your ...2 days ago
- DAVID FARRAR: Hysterical bullshitRadio NZ reports: Te Pāti Māori’s co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer has accused the new government of “deliberate .. systemic genocide” over its policies to roll back the smokefree policy and the Māori Health Authority. The left love hysterical language. If you oppose racial quotas in laws, you are a racist. And now if you sack ...2 days ago
- ELE LUDEMANN: It wasn’t just $55 millionEle Ludemann writes – Winston Peters reckons media outlets were bribed by the $55 million Public Interest Journalism Fund. He is not the first to make such an accusation. Last year, the Platform outlined conditions media signed up to in return for funds from the PJIF: . . . ...3 days ago
- Weekly Roundup 1-December-2023
Wow, it’s December already, and it’s a Friday. So here are few things that caught our attention recently. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt covered the new government’s coalition agreements and what they mean for transport. On Tuesday Matt looked at AT’s plans for fare increases ...3 days ago - Shane MacGowan Is Gone.
Late 1996, The Dogs Bollix, Tamaki Makaurau.I’m at the front of the bar yelling my order to the bartender, jostling with other thirsty punters on a Friday night, keen to piss their wages up against a wall letting loose. The black stuff, long luscious pints of creamy goodness. Back down ...3 days ago - The Hoon around the week to Dec 1Nicola Willis, Chris Bishop and other National, ACT and NZ First MPs applaud the signing of the coalition agreements, which included the reversal of anti-smoking measures while accelerating tax cuts for landlords. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote ...3 days ago
- 2023 More Reading: November (+ Writing Update)
Completed reads for November: A Modern Utopia, by H.G. Wells The Vampire (poem), by Heinrich August Ossenfelder The Corpus Hermeticum The Corpus Hermeticum is Mead’s translation. Now, this is indeed a very quiet month for reading. But there is a reason for that… You see, ...3 days ago - Forward to 2017
The coalition party agreements are mainly about returning to 2017 when National lost power. They show commonalities but also some serious divergencies.The two coalition agreements – one National and ACT, the other National and New Zealand First – are more than policy documents. They also describe the processes of the ...3 days ago - Questions a nine year old might ask the new Prime Minister
First QuestionYou’re going to crack down on people ram-raiding dairies, because you say hard-working dairy owners shouldn’t have to worry about getting ram-raided.But once the chemist shops have pseudoephedrine in them again, they're going to get ram-raided all the time. Do chemists not work as hard as dairy owners?Second QuestionYou ...3 days ago - Questions a nine year old might ask the new Prime MinisterFirst QuestionYou’re going to crack down on people ram-raiding dairies, because you say hard-working dairy owners shouldn’t have to worry about getting ram-raided.But once the chemist shops have pseudoephedrine in them again, they're going to get ram-raided all the time. Do chemists not work as hard as dairy owners?Second QuestionYou ...3 days ago
- Finally
Henry Kissinger is finally dead. Good fucking riddance. While Americans loved him, he was a war criminal, responsible for most of the atrocities of the final quarter of the twentieth century. Cambodia. Bangladesh. Chile. East Timor. All Kissinger. Because of these crimes, Americans revere him as a "statesman" (which says ...3 days ago - Government in a hurry – Luxon lists 49 priorities in 100-day plan while Peters pledges to strength...Buzz from the Beehive Yes, ministers in the new government are delivering speeches and releasing press statements. But the message on the government’s official website was the same as it has been for the past several days, when Point of Order went looking for news from the Beehive that had ...3 days ago
- DAVID FARRAR: Luxon is absolutely right
David Farrar writes – 1 News reports: Christopher Luxon says he was told by some Kiwis on the campaign trail they “didn’t know” the difference between Waka Kotahi, Te Pūkenga and Te Whatu Ora. Speaking to Breakfast, the incoming prime minister said having English first on government agencies will “make sure” ...3 days ago - Top 10 at 10 am for Thursday, Nov 30
There are fears that mooted changes to building consent liability could end up driving the building industry into an uninsured hole. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere as of 10 am on Thursday, November 30, including:The new Government’s ...4 days ago - Gordon Campbell on how climate change threatens cricket‘s future
Well that didn’t last long, did it? Mere days after taking on what he called the “awesome responsibility” of being Prime Minister, M Christopher Luxon has started blaming everyone else, and complaining that he has inherited “economic vandalism on an unprecedented scale” – which is how most of us are ...4 days ago - We need to talk about Tory.
The first I knew of the news about Tory Whanau was when a tweet came up in my feed.The sort of tweet that makes you question humanity, or at least why you bother with Twitter. Which is increasingly a cesspit of vile inhabitants who lurk spreading negativity, hate, and every ...4 days ago - Dangling Transport SolutionsCable Cars, Gondolas, Ropeways and Aerial Trams are all names for essentially the same technology and the world’s biggest maker of them are here to sell them as an public transport solution. Stuff reports: Austrian cable car company Doppelmayr has launched its case for adding aerial cable cars to New ...4 days ago
- November AMA
Hi,It’s been awhile since I’ve done an Ask-Me-Anything on here, so today’s the day. Ask anything you like in the comments section, and I’ll be checking in today and tomorrow to answer.Leave a commentNext week I’ll be giving away a bunch of these Mister Organ blu-rays for readers in New ...4 days ago - National’s early moves adding to cost of living pressure
The cost of living grind continues, and the economic and inflation honeymoon is over before it began. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: PM Christopher Luxon unveiled his 100 day plan yesterday with an avowed focus of reducing cost-of-living pressures, but his Government’s initial moves and promises are actually elevating ...4 days ago - Backwards to the futurePrime Minister Christopher Luxon has confirmed that it will be back to the future on planning legislation. This will be just one of a number of moves which will see the new government go backwards as it repeals and cost-cuts its way into power. They will completely repeal one ...4 days ago
- New initiatives in science and technology could point the way ahead for Luxon government
As the new government settles into the Beehive, expectations are high that it can sort out some of the economic issues confronting New Zealand. It may take time for some new ministers to get to grips with the range of their portfolio work and responsibilities before they can launch the changes that ...4 days ago - Treaty pledge to secure funding is contentious – but is Peters being pursued by a lynch mob after ...TV3 political editor Jenna Lynch was among the corps of political reporters who bridled, when Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters told them what he thinks of them (which is not much). She was unabashed about letting her audience know she had bridled. More usefully, she drew attention to something which ...4 days ago
- How long does this last?
I have a clear memory of every election since 1969 in this plucky little nation of ours. I swear I cannot recall a single one where the question being asked repeatedly in the first week of the new government was: how long do you reckon they’ll last? And that includes all ...4 days ago - National’s giveaway politicsWe already know that national plans to boost smoking rates to collect more tobacco tax so they can give huge tax-cuts to mega-landlords. But this morning that policy got even more obscene - because it turns out that the tax cut is retrospective: Residential landlords will be able to ...4 days ago
- CHRIS TROTTER: Who’s driving the right-wing bus?Who’s At The Wheel? The electorate’s message, as aggregated in the polling booths on 14 October, turned out to be a conservative political agenda stronger than anything New Zealand has seen in five decades. In 1975, Bill Rowling was run over by just one bus, with Rob Muldoon at the wheel. In 2023, ...4 days ago
- GRAHAM ADAMS: Media knives flashing for Luxon’s government
The fear and loathing among legacy journalists is astonishing Graham Adams writes – No one is going to die wondering how some of the nation’s most influential journalists personally view the new National-led government. It has become abundantly clear within a few days of the coalition agreements ...4 days ago - Top 10 news links for Wednesday, Nov 29
TL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere for Wednesday November 29, including:The early return of interest deductibility for landlords could see rebates paid on previous taxes and the cost increase to $3 billion from National’s initial estimate of $2.1 billion, CTU Economist Craig Renney estimated here last ...4 days ago - Smokefree Fallout and a High Profile Resignation.
The day after being sworn in the new cabinet met yesterday, to enjoy their honeymoon phase. You remember, that period after a new government takes power where the country, and the media, are optimistic about them, because they haven’t had a chance to stuff anything about yet.Sadly the nuptials complete ...5 days ago - As Cabinet revs up, building plans go on holdWellington Council hoardings proclaim its preparations for population growth, but around the country councils are putting things on hold in the absence of clear funding pathways for infrastructure, and despite exploding migrant numbers. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Cabinet meets in earnest today to consider the new Government’s 100-day ...5 days ago
- National takes over infrastructureThough New Zealand First may have had ambitions to run the infrastructure portfolios, National would seem to have ended up firmly in control of them. POLITIK has obtained a private memo to members of Infrastructure NZ yesterday, which shows that the peak organisation for infrastructure sees National MPs Chris ...5 days ago
- At a glance – Evidence for global warmingOn February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...5 days ago
- Who’s Driving The Right-Wing Bus?
5 days ago - Sanity break
Cheers to reader Deane for this quote from Breakfast TV today:Chloe Swarbrick to Brook van Velden re the coalition agreement: “... an unhinged grab-bag of hot takes from your drunk uncle at Christmas”Cheers also to actual Prime Minister of a country Christopher Luxon for dorking up his swearing-in vows.But that's enough ...5 days ago - Sanity breakCheers to reader Deane for this quote from Breakfast TV today:Chloe Swarbrick to Brook van Velden re the coalition agreement: “... an unhinged grab-bag of hot takes from your drunk uncle at Christmas”Cheers also to actual Prime Minister of a country Christopher Luxon for dorking up his swearing-in vows.But that's enough ...5 days ago
- National’s murderous smoking policyOne of the big underlying problems in our political system is the prevalence of short-term thinking, most usually seen in the periodic massive infrastructure failures at a local government level caused by them skimping on maintenance to Keep Rates Low. But the new government has given us a new example, ...5 days ago
- NZ has a chance to rise again as our new government gets spending under controlNew Zealand has a chance to rise again. Under the previous government, the number of New Zealanders below the poverty line was increasing year by year. The Luxon-led government must reverse that trend – and set about stabilising the pillars of the economy. After the mismanagement of the outgoing government created huge ...5 days ago
- KARL DU FRESNE: Media and the new governmentTwo articles by Karl du Fresne bring media coverage of the new government into considerations. He writes – Tuesday, November 28, 2023 The left-wing media needed a line of attack, and they found one The left-wing media pack wasted no time identifying the new government’s weakest point. Seething over ...5 days ago
- PHILIP CRUMP: Team of rivals – a CEO approach to government leadershipThe work begins Philip Crump wrote this article ahead of the new government being sworn in yesterday – Later today the new National-led coalition government will be sworn in, and the hard work begins. At the core of government will be three men – each a leader ...5 days ago
- Black Friday
As everyone who watches television or is on the mailing list for any of our major stores will confirm, “Black Friday” has become the longest running commercial extravaganza and celebration in our history. Although its origins are obscure (presumably dreamt up by American salesmen a few years ago), it has ...6 days ago - In Defense of the Media.
Yesterday the Ministers in the next government were sworn in by our Governor General. A day of tradition and ceremony, of decorum and respect. Usually.But yesterday Winston Peters, the incoming Deputy Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister, of our nation used it, as he did with the signing of the coalition ...6 days ago - Top 10 news links at 10 am for Tuesday, Nov 28
6 days ago - PT use up but fare increases comingYesterday Auckland Transport were celebrating, as the most recent Sunday was the busiest Sunday they’ve ever had.
That’s a great outcome and I’m sure the ... 6 days ago - The very opposite of social investmentNicola Willis (in blue) at the signing of the coalition agreement, before being sworn in as both Finance Minister and Social Investment Minister. National’s plan to unwind anti-smoking measures will benefit her in the first role, but how does it stack up from a social investment viewpoint? Photo: Lynn Grieveson ...6 days ago
- Giving TuesdayFor the first time "in history" we decided to jump on the "Giving Tuesday" bandwagon in order to make you aware of the options you have to contribute to our work! Projects supported by Skeptical Science Inc. Skeptical Science Skeptical Science is an all-volunteer organization but ...6 days ago
- Let's open the books with Nicotine Willis
Let’s say it’s 1984,and there's a dreary little nation at the bottom of the Pacific whose name rhymes with New Zealand,and they've just had an election.Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, will you look at the state of these books we’ve opened,cries the incoming government, will you look at all this mountain ...6 days ago - Climate Change: Stopping oilNational is promising to bring back offshore oil and gas drilling. Naturally, the Greens have organised a petition campaign to try and stop them. You should sign it - every little bit helps, and as the struggle over mining conservation land showed, even National can be deterred if enough people ...6 days ago
- Don’t accept Human Rights Commission reading of data on Treaty partnership – read the survey fin...Wellington is braced for a “massive impact’ from the new government’s cutting public service jobs, The Post somewhat grimly reported today. Expectations of an economic and social jolt are based on the National-Act coalition agreement to cut public service numbers in each government agency in a cost-trimming exercise “informed by” head ...6 days ago
- The stupidest of stupid reasonsOne of the threats in the National - ACT - NZ First coalition agreements was to extend the term of Parliament to four years, reducing our opportunities to throw a bad government out. The justification? Apparently, the government thinks "elections are expensive". This is the stupidest of stupid reasons for ...6 days ago
- A website bereft of buzzBuzz from the Beehive The new government was being sworn in, at time of writing , and when Point of Order checked the Beehive website for the latest ministerial statements and re-visit some of the old ones we drew a blank. We found …. Nowt. Nothing. Zilch. Not a ...6 days ago
- MICHAEL BASSETT: A new Ministry – at lastMichael Bassett writes – Like most people, I was getting heartily sick of all the time being wasted over the coalition negotiations. During the first three weeks Winston grinned like a Cheshire cat, certain he’d be needed; Chris Luxon wasted time in lifting the phone to Winston ...7 days ago
- Luxon's Breakfast.
The Prime Minister elect had his silver fern badge on. He wore it to remind viewers he was supporting New Zealand, that was his team. Despite the fact it made him look like a concierge, or a welcomer in a Koru lounge. Anna Burns-Francis, the Breakfast presenter, asked if he ...7 days ago - LINDSAY MITCHELL: Oranga Tamariki faces major upheaval under coalition agreementLindsay Mitchell writes – A hugely significant gain for ACT is somewhat camouflaged by legislative jargon. Under the heading ‘Oranga Tamariki’ ACT’s coalition agreement contains the following item: Remove Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 According to Oranga Tamariki: “Section ...7 days ago
- BRIAN EASTON: Peters as MinisterA previous column looked at Winston Peters biographically. This one takes a closer look at his record as a minister, especially his policy record. Brian Easton writes – 1990-1991: Minister of Māori Affairs. Few remember Ka Awatea as a major document on the future of Māori policy; there is ...7 days ago
- Cathrine Dyer's guide to watching COP 28 from the bottom of a warming planet7 days ago
- Top 10 news links at 10 am for Monday, Nov 27
PM Elect Christopher Luxon was challenged this morning on whether he would sack Adrian Orr and Andrew Coster.TL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere at 10 am on Monday November 27, including:Signs councils are putting planning and capital spending on hold, given a lack of clear guidance ...7 days ago - Gordon Campbell on the new government’s policies of yesteryearThis column expands on a Werewolf column published by Scoop on Friday Routinely, Winston Peters is described as the kingmaker who gets to decide when the centre right or the centre-left has a turn at running this country. He also plays a less heralded but equally important role as the ...7 days ago
- The New Government’s AgreementsLast Friday, almost six weeks after election day, National finally came to an agreement with ACT and NZ First to form a government. They also released the agreements between each party and looking through them, here are the things I thought were the most interesting (and often concerning) from the. ...7 days ago
- How many smokers will die to fund the tax cuts?7 days ago
- How the culture will change in the BeehivePerhaps the biggest change that will come to the Beehive as the new government settles in will be a fundamental culture change. The era of endless consultation will be over. This looks like a government that knows what it wants to do, and that means it knows what outcomes ...7 days ago
- No More Winnie Blues.
1 week ago - 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #47A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 19, 2023 thru Sat, Nov 25, 2023. Story of the Week World stands on frontline of disaster at Cop28, says UN climate chief Exclusive: Simon Stiell says leaders must ‘stop ...1 week ago
- Some of it is mad, some of it is bad and some of it is clearly the work of people who are dangerous ...
On announcement morning my mate texted:Typical of this cut-price, fake-deal government to announce itself on Black Friday.What a deal. We lose Kim Hill, we gain an empty, jargonising prime minister, a belligerent conspiracist, and a heartless Ayn Rand fanboy. One door closes, another gets slammed repeatedly in your face.It seems pretty ...1 week ago - “Revolution” is the threat as the Māori Party smarts at coalition government’s Treaty directi...Buzz from the Beehive Having found no fresh announcements on the government’s official website, Point of Order turned today to Scoop’s Latest Parliament Headlines for its buzz. This provided us with evidence that the Māori Party has been soured by the the coalition agreement announced yesterday by the new PM. “Soured” ...1 week ago
- The Good, the Bad, and the even Worse.
Yesterday the trio that will lead our country unveiled their vision for New Zealand.Seymour looking surprisingly statesmanlike, refusing to rise to barbs about his previous comments on Winston Peters. Almost as if they had just been slapstick for the crowd.Winston was mostly focussed on settling scores with the media, making ...1 week ago - When it Comes to Palestine – Free Speech is Under Threat
Hi,Thanks for getting amongst Mister Organ on digital — thanks to you, we hit the #1 doc spot on iTunes this week. This response goes a long way to helping us break even.I feel good about that. Other things — not so much.New Zealand finally has a new government, and ...1 week ago - Thank you Captain Luxon. Was that a landing, or were we shot down?
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Also in More Than A FeildingFriday The unboxing And so this is Friday and what have we gone and done to ourselves?In the same way that a Christmas present can look lovely under the ...1 week ago
- Release: Labour team ready to take on the coalition of chaos
Labour’s strong line-up for the 54th Parliament brings experience and energy to the job of Opposition. ...4 days ago - The future of Aotearoa is at stake
The next 100 days will be a fight for our future. ...4 days ago - Māori will die to fund tax cutsBy scrapping Aotearoa’s world-leading smokefree laws, this government is sacrificing Māori lives to fund tax cuts for the wealthy. Not only is this plan revolting, but it doesn’t add up. Treasury has estimated that the reversal of smokefree laws to pay for tax cuts will cost our health system $5.25bn, ...4 days ago
- Release: National’s fiscal plans dealt another blowFigures showing National needs to find another $900 million for landlords highlights the mess this coalition Government is in less than a week into the job. ...5 days ago
- Green Party unveils portfolio spokespeople for the 54th ParliamentThe Green Party is pleased to announce the allocation of portfolios across its largest caucus ever. ...5 days ago
- The Time is Now for Oceans ProtectionCommunity organisations, mana whenua and the Greens have written to the incoming Minister of Oceans and Fisheries to call for the progression without delay of the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill. ...6 days ago
- Greenpeace nitrates research proves need for strong freshwater regulationThe Green Party is welcoming the release of an interactive map which enables people to monitor nitrate levels in their drinking water. ...6 days ago
- Release: Chris Hipkins congratulates Christopher Luxon"On behalf of the Labour Party I would like to congratulate Christopher Luxon on his appointment as Prime Minister,” Labour Party Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...6 days ago
- Greens launch petition to save oil and gas banThe Green Party has launched a petition to save the ban on oil and gas exploration. ...7 days ago
- Luxon’s Government will whitewash AotearoaNZ First has gotten their wish to ‘take our country back’ to the 1800s with a policy program that will white-wash Aotearoa and erase tangata whenua rights. By disestablishing the Māori Health Authority this Government has condemned Māori to die seven years earlier than Pākehā. By removing Treaty obligations from ...1 week ago
- Green Party a strong opposition to divisive governmentThe Green Party will keep up the fight for an Aotearoa that works for everyone. ...1 week ago
- Te Pāti Māori call for Foreign Affairs CEO to be sackedTe Pāti Māori have called for the resignation of the Ministry of Foreign and Trade chief executive Chris Seed following his decision to erase te reo Māori from government communications. While the country still waits for a new government to be formed, Mr Seed took it upon himself to undermine ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour Party calls for immediate ceasefireThe New Zealand Labour Party is urgently calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and Israel to put a halt to the appalling attacks and violence, so that a journey to a lasting peace can begin, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...2 weeks ago
- New Zealand welcomes European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement
A significant milestone in ratifying the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was reached last night, with 524 of the 705 member European Parliament voting in favour to approve the agreement. “I’m delighted to hear of the successful vote to approve the NZ-EU FTA in the European Parliament overnight. This is ...1 week ago - Further humanitarian support for Gaza, the West Bank and IsraelThe Government is contributing a further $5 million to support the response to urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, bringing New Zealand’s total contribution to the humanitarian response so far to $10 million. “New Zealand is deeply saddened by the loss of civilian life and the ...2 weeks ago
- Greens pick Renters United president Geordie Rogers for Wellington council byelection
Renter’s United President Geordie Rogers has been selected as the Green party candidate for the Wellington city council byelection in Lambton Ward. The byelection is being held to replace outgoing councillor Tamatha Paul, now the MP for Wellington Central. “I’m honoured to have just been selected as the Green ...2 hours ago - Opportunities Party leader Raf Manji resigns
Raf Manji is standing down from his role after failing to get into Parliament this election. The party received just over 2 percent of the general vote. ...3 hours ago - Govt confirms it is dumping 'hugely wasteful' Lake Onslow battery projectThe $16 billion pumped hydro scheme had been championed by the former Labour government. ...9 hours ago
- The Arks of Arks: an excerpt from Little Doomsdays by Nic Low and Phil DadsonThe kōrero series invites collaborations between two different kinds of artists to explore a shared topic. The latest is Little Doomsdays by writer Nic Low (Ngāi Tahu) and transdisciplanary artist Phil Dadson ONZM whose shared topic is ‘the notion of ark and arc’. In this excerpt they explore the Ark ...13 hours ago
- This perfume smells like old books. Is that a good thing?Books editor Claire Mabey reviews Ex Libris, an Aotearoa-made essential oil perfume designed to replicate the scent of well-loved books. What does an old book smell like? Do I even like that smell? And do I want to smell like that smell: old, and like books? These were the questions ...15 hours ago
- 'And so it begins': Inside Parliament during the uneasy transition of governmentAll week, boxes, trolleys, and chairs have been moving back and forth as the new government, new MPs, and survivors from the old government transition into their new roles. ...16 hours ago
- From prison to med school: the remarkable life of Dr Timoti
At 17, Timoti Te Moke stared through prison cell bars and thought this would be his life forever. He’d dropped out of school three years earlier, ended up in a gang, been arrested dozens of times, and suffered beatings which left him feeling dead inside. All he knew was ...18 hours ago - Peters’ week of talking bulldustWinston Peters’ attention-seeking comments this week about the ‘bribery’ of the media by the former government would be sad, if they weren’t so … sad. Sad for his new friend Christopher Luxon for putting him, the new Government and the first Cabinet meeting in the shade. (What image dominated the ...18 hours ago
- An Ode to .. Lord WinstonThe Dragon Slayer Lord Winston, Deputy King, Duke of Hazard, Conspiracy Svengali, and Chief Dragon Slayer, Rides into the dark mountains On his mighty war steed Limelight. Beside him, struggling to keep up, Is King Cluxon The Confident. Now remember not to rush off On any quests, says the ...18 hours ago
- From operating theatre to actual theatre: Michael Galvin’s secret life as a playwrightHe’s one of the most recognisable actors in the country. He’s also an award-winning playwright. Sam Brooks sits down with Michael Galvin to talk about the lesser known side of his career. Every weeknight at 7pm, you can sit down in front of your TV screen and reliably see Michael ...18 hours ago
- The Sunday Essay: I am a son of PalestineThe journey of a Palestinian soul seeking the embrace of home. The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand. Illustrations by little rain. I am not one of those with blue eyes, but I am made of clay that came down from heaven and ...19 hours ago
- A Senate inquiry is calling for a new ‘behaviour curriculum’ to try and tackle classroom disrupt...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erin Leif, Senior Lecturer, Educational Psychology & Inclusive Education, Monash University Markus Spiske/ Unsplash, CC BY-SA A Senate inquiry has found Australian students need specific lessons in how to behave. The inquiry, which has been looking at “increasing disruption ...1 day ago - Why are drive-thru menus so hard to read?Drive-thru menus these days are confusing and scattershot, filled with a random assortment of doodles of food and vague adwords. It didn’t used to be this way, writes Hayden Donnell. Kate was young, but she can still picture it clearly. She was in the back of the car as it ...2 days ago
- Peter Ellis series scoops two more awardsDescribed as one of the greatest true crime stories about a crime that never happened, eight-part podcast Peter Ellis, the Creche Case & Me has won two silvers at this year’s New Zealand Podcast Awards, for best documentary podcast and best true crime podcast. It was the first podcast ...2 days ago
- ‘She just got Will Ferrell to fart on camera’: Jaquie Brown’s most important interviewThe writer, actor and TV presenter looks back on her most memorable celebrity encounters, a sticky game show situation and making The Jaquie Brown Diaries. Jaquie Brown has traversed many corners of our local television universe. She’s been trapped under a piano with Andrew WK on Space, taken a limousine ...2 days ago
- Short Story: Sumatran cannabisI knew she was interested in me because she sat down at the table after she served my cheesecake. “How’s your cheesecake?” “Absolutely delicious. Tastes better cos you’re sitting with me.” “That’s a rather cheesy compliment.” Her leg brushed mine, softly. “My husband’s at work,” she said. ...2 days ago
- Watercare: Govt must guarantee debt or users will pay the priceWatercare had already doubled down on user charges; now it’s tripling down. With the Government’s promise to repeal Labour’s Three Waters reform in its first 100 days, the big drinking water and wastewater services provider tells Newsroom it’s now unable to finance Auckland’s infrastructure needs. Chief executive Dave ...2 days ago
- Farming and food force their way onto COP28’s tableA declaration to make global food systems sustainable and climate compatible, signed by some 130 countries, was tabled yesterday at COP28 in Dubai. It was the first time farming and food were given such prominence in nearly 30 years of United Nation’s climate negotiations. “Global food systems are broken ...2 days ago
- Colombia via Canberra for young Football FernJust four months ago, Ruby Nathan was filing in to Auckland’s Eden Park to watch the world’s best women’s footballers play in the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Now the 18-year-old forward has the chance to play alongside them, receiving her first Football Ferns call-up for two games against Colombia ...2 days ago
- Why should you care?‘While we were all asleep here in Aotearoa, my aunty and cousins were killed in their home in Gaza.’ A letter from a young Palestinian New Zealander. ‘“On the 14th of October, we here in Gaza are under attack by Israel. And America supports the bombing of civilian homes, killing ...2 days ago
- Focus on Politics: Distractions assail coalition as it lays out ambitious agendaFixing the economy is a hefty workload for a Cabinet that's so far been dogged by distractions - driven partly by new Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters. ...2 days ago
- Long Read: The Crewe MurdersThis week, ‘The Crewe Murders: Inside New Zealand’s most infamous cold case’, a new book from Massey University Press written by Kirsty Johnston and James Hollings. Award-winning investigative journalist Kirsty Johnston joins the podcast to discuss the case and read an excerpt of the book herself. The murder of Harvey ...2 days ago
- Enhancing the mana of Te TiritiOpinion: Act Party leader David Seymour has announced his party’s Treaty Principles bill would go through the parliamentary process “to enhance the mana of the treaty” and to “debate what our founding document means in the modern age”. To enhance the treaty and to debate its meaning, we ...2 days ago
- The Week in Detail: Smokefree, Judith Collins, and woke-washingEvery weekday, The Detail makes sense of the big news stories. This week, a US court case claiming Google’s overreaching on users’ privacy, a look inside an Auckland start-up incubator wanting to shake up the future of carbon emissions, what the new government’s rollback of the Smokefree 2025 legislation means, the ...2 days ago
- The inside story of Pals, the little RTD that did it all wrong and got it so rightIn just four years, Pals has gone from a one-man startup to a category-changing monster. This is the untold story of how four friends took on the multinational liquor giants – and won. When Pals first appeared, the liquor industry barely noticed. “None of it made sense,” says Kane Stanford, ...2 days ago
- Their house, my garden: The do-nothing farmerThis week on Their house, my garden, we meet a very different sort of gardener. Some people might say that the best thing about artists is that they make the world more beautiful and you can put their work on your wall to make your home look cool. I think ...2 days ago
- Waiheke Local Board Demand An Immediate And Permanent Ceasefire In Palestine
29 November 2023 Waiheke Local Board today unanimously passed a motion demanding an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Palestine. The board also agreed to fly the Palestine flag from their Local Board building for one month, starting from today ...2 days ago - Politics with Michelle Grattan: Chris Bowen’s struggle to promote consensus on climate action at C...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy, next week heads to COP28 in Dubai, leading the Australian delegation. He joins the podcast to talk about the meeting, which he hopes will be easier than ...2 days ago
- New Zealand welcomes extension to pause in Gaza conflictForeign Minister Winston Peters has welcomed the extra day added to the halt in fighting, and called on all parties and countries with influence to work towards a long-term ceasefire. ...2 days ago
- What’s going on at Cotto and the Leigh Sawmill Cafe?Cancelled bookings, ‘temporary’ closures, ‘unforeseen circumstances’ and yet no official announcement from anyone linked to the popular Auckland businesses. What’s going on? Two high-profile Auckland eateries linked to a prolific hospitality figure have closed unexpectedly, leaving customers in the dark as to why and for how long. A notice has ...2 days ago
- Social media ads are littered with ‘green’ claims. How are we supposed to know they’re true?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christine Parker, Professor of Law, The University of Melbourne Yuriy Golub/Shutterstock Online platforms are awash with ads for so-called “green” products. Power companies are “carbon neutral”. Electronics are “for the planet”. Clothing is “circular” and travel is “sustainable”. Or are ...2 days ago
- $33,000 pledged to support journalism and new rewards addedA week ago we launched our PledgeMe campaign to help fund What’s eating Aotearoa, a longform journalism project focused on food and how it shapes this country. We’ve just passed the $33k mark. With PledgeMe it’s all or nothing, and we need to hit our goal of $50,000. If you’ve ...2 days ago
- Keith Rankin Essay: Supremacism, Israel and NeozionismAnalysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. Supremacism is a cultural belief that an in-group of humanity is inherently superior to other groups, and that those other groups have lesser human rights ...2 days ago
- The Week in Politics: Winston goes to warThe NZ First leader derailed the new coalition government's first week in power, writes Peter Wilson. ...2 days ago
- COP28 climate summit just approved a ‘loss and damage’ fund. What does this mean?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matt McDonald, Associate Professor of International Relations, The University of Queensland Day one of the COP28 climate summit saw the first big breakthrough: agreement on a “loss and damage” fund to compensate poor states for the effects of climate change. Met with ...2 days ago
- The Spinoff scores at NZ Podcast AwardsThe Spinoff Podcast Network picked up three gongs at this year’s NZ Podcast Awards. Our politics podcast Gone By Lunchtime won best current affairs podcast for the second year in a row, while This Is Kiwi scored silver in best branded podcast and Business Is Boring placed third in best ...2 days ago
- Cellphones take the fall for education failuresAn appearance at Manurewa Intermediate School on Friday morning proved the cellphone ban in schools had survived coalition talks, with new Prime Minister Christoper Luxon stating the ban would be in place during his first 100 days in office. Polling from Horizon Research shows most New Zealanders appear to ...2 days ago
- With The Pogues, Shane MacGowan perhaps proved himself the most important Irish writer since James J...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English, University of Sydney Known for his music with The Pogues, and perhaps the most important Irish writer since James Joyce, the venerated and critically acclaimed Shane MacGowan has died in Dublin at the age of ...2 days ago
- Te Whatu Ora takes aim at ‘conspiracy theorists’ spreading vaccine ‘misinformation’Te Whatu Ora’s issued a reminder to the public over vaccine safety, citing “misinformation” being spread by a “health agency staff member”. The health agency’s chief executive, Margie Apa, said the staff member had “no clinical background or expert vaccine knowledge” and what he was claiming was “completely wrong and ...2 days ago
- On Steve Maharey's ResignationThe following can be attributed to a spokesperson from the Taxpayers’ Union: “Steve Maharey shouldn’t have been allowed to quit. He has refused to front media or explain his Board’s continued apparent confidence in Pharmac’s CEO, despite her obvious ...2 days ago
- Pharmac chair resigns as new government signals ‘culture change’ at agencyPharmac’s chair has resigned, five years after joining the board of the health agency. Steve Maharey is a former Labour Party minister and came under fire earlier this year after writing a number of columns that came close to breaching the required political neutrality guidelines for public service board members. ...2 days ago
- A Stanford professor says science shows free will doesn’t exist. Here’s why he’s mistakenSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Piovarchy, Research Associate, Institute for Ethics and Society, University of Notre Dame Australia It seems like we have free will. Most of the time, we are the ones who choose what we eat, how we tie our shoelaces and what articles ...2 days ago
- The Friday Poem: ‘crude public behavior’ by Kate AschoffA new poem by multimedia artist and writer Kate Aschoff. crude public behavior I know I could be Paris Hilton’s new BFF / In the Summer mosquitoes find me delicious / Even though I am tall and a team player and have “swimmers shoulders” / Saturday Netball is my least ...2 days ago
- The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending December 1The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 Prophet Song by Paul Lynch (Bloomsbury, $37) The Irish novel that just won the 2023 ...2 days ago
- Which blood sugar monitor is best?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Neale Cohen, Head of Diabetes Clinics, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute Shutterstock Monitoring the level of glucose (sugar) in your blood is vital if you have diabetes. You get results in real time, which allows you to adjust your medications, ...2 days ago
- Want to cut your new home costs by 10% or more? That’s what building groups can doSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrea Sharam, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University A building group based in Eltham, Victoria. Image: Property Collectives High-performance, affordable housing built in existing suburbs should be a big part of the solution to Australia’s housing crisis. ...2 days ago
- A Kid Called Troy at 30: this beautiful Aussie films was one of the most important HIV/AIDS document...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Gildersleeve, Professor of English Literature, University of Southern Queensland NFSA Since 1988, World AIDS Day has been held each year on December 1. This World AIDS Day, we’re reflecting on one of the most important HIV/AIDS documentaries ever produced: ...2 days ago
- Public sector boss Steve Maharey resigns as chair of Pharmac and ACCSteve Maharey has resigned as chairperson of the board of Pharmac. He has also resigned as chairperson of the board of ACC. ...2 days ago
- Queenstown’s old luge conveyor gets a new life powering recycling initiativeEllen Rykers talks to a Southland couple with ambitious plans to divert construction waste from landfill. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof, brought to you by AMP. Sign up here. As much as 50% of the waste generated in New Zealand comes from construction and demolition, and a ...2 days ago
- Hastings Councillor Damon Harvey A Ratepayer Hero, Mayor Hazlehurst Is The VillainThe Taxpayers’ Union is calling for Hastings District Councillor Damon Harvey to be reinstated in his committee chair role and the councillors to instead hold a vote of no confidence in the Mayor following revelations that he was stripped of ...2 days ago
- COP28: the climate summit’s first Health Day points to what needs to change in NZSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alistair Woodward, Professor, School of Population Health, University of Auckland Climate change has many effects, but one of the most significant will feature for the first time at COP28 – its impact on human health. Now under way in Dubai, the latest ...2 days ago
- Coalition Agreements Between National, ACT And NZ First Signal The Need To Protect All Whānau Māor...The new National, ACT and New Zealand First co-governance government has set its sights firmly on removing Māori rights, judging from their coalition agreements. The new government’s first joint announcement included that they would remove the ...2 days ago
- Cut The Waste, Not The Waste CollectionCommenting on proposals to reduce Auckland’s refuse collection from weekly to fortnightly, Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesman, Jordan Williams, said: “Auckland Council’s finances are in dire straits, and clearly serious savings need to be ...3 days ago
- Former minister quits Covid inquiry as government set to launch second probeFormer National cabinet minister Hekia Parata has resigned from the Royal Commission into the Covid-19 pandemic. She departed the commission on November 15, ahead of the formation of the new government but after the overall election result was known. The National-led coalition has announced it will look to introduce a ...3 days ago
- Israel-Gaza crisis: NZ must condemn atrocities but keep pushing for a two-state solutionANALYSIS: By Alexander Gillespie, University of Waikato It was perhaps inevitable that the shock Hamas attack on Israel would become a minor election sideshow in New Zealand. Less than a week from the Aotearoa New Zealand polls, a crisis in the Middle East offered opposition parties a brief chance to ...3 days ago
- The Government Must Fund Care Workers Before LandlordsE tū, the biggest private sector union in Aotearoa New Zealand, is shocked to learn that the National Party’s coalition agreement with ACT would see planned tax breaks for landlords brought forward, costing at least $900 million according to analysis ...3 days ago
- Political panel: The coalition government's first weekRNZ political reporter Katie Scotcher, Newhub's political editor Jenna Lynch, and the New Zealand Herald's deputy political editor, Thomas Coughlan discuss the coalition government's first week in charge. ...3 days ago
- Watch: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Education Minister Erica Stanford address mediaChristopher Luxon will be taking questions from the media with Erica Stanford, the new Minister of Education. ...3 days ago
- An Oath To Our MokopunaOn Tuesday, MPs will be required to pledge an oath of allegiance to ‘ His Majesty King Charles the Third, His heirs and successors’ before they can be officially sworn into Parliament. This is symbolic of the colonial power that Parliament places ...3 days ago
- A wish list of signings for the new Auckland A-League franchiseAuckland’s new professional football franchise has less than a year to assemble a squad that’s not just competitive, but capable of winning over the city’s fickle fans. Whose signatures should they be hunting? Professional football is returning to Auckland. Billionaire American businessman Bill Foley, owner of NHL champions the Las ...3 days ago
- UN Loss And Damage Fund Doomed Without Fossil Fuel Phase-out – Greenpeace AotearoaAs a new climate loss and damage fund is operationalised on the first day of the COP28 UN climate conference, Greenpeace Aotearoa is condemning the New Zealand Government’s decision to restart offshore fossil fuel exploration, which will only lead to more ...3 days ago
- Toi Mata Hauora ASMS Completes Pay Negotiations With Te Whatu Ora – Achieves CPI IncreaseThe Association of Salaried Medical Specialists have settled their pay negotiations with Te Whatu Ora ending months of bargaining and industrial action. More than 90 per cent of polled ASMS members voted to accept Te Whatu Ora’s latest pay offer ...3 days ago
- IFJ condemns deputy PM’s comments as threat to NZ press freedomPacific Media Watch Journalists and media workers have criticised comments made by Aotearoa New Zealand’s newly-elected Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters — who claimed that a 2020 Labour government media funding initiative constituted “bribery” — as a threat to media freedom. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) reports that it ...3 days ago
- Since the war on Gaza began, violence against Palestinians has surged in the West BankANALYSIS: By Tristan Dunning, University of Queensland, and Martin Kear, University of Sydney While the world remains fixated on the devastating October 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, there has been a pronounced — and mostly unnoticed — escalation in violence against Palestinians in ...3 days ago
- Peters has track record but NZ aid policy still hard to figure outANALYSIS: By Terence Wood In the wake of New Zealand’s recent election, and subsequent coalition negotiations, Winston Peters has emerged as New Zealand’s Foreign Minister again. I’ve never been able to adequately explain why a populist politician leading a party called New Zealand First would have an interest in a ...3 days ago
- Councillor says Wellington mayor Tory Whanau should resign – 'It's not working'A Wellington City councillor says mayor Tory Whanau isn't able to give "the 150 percent that's needed" to lead the capital. ...3 days ago
- Appeal sees Grabone owners NZME fined $200k over unsafe puzzle toyNZME, the owners of the Herald, has been fined close to $200,000 after a “magnetic puzzle toy” sold through its Grabone service was deemed to be unsafe. The fine is an increase on the $88,000 penalty previous imposed by the court after the Commerce Commission appealed the decision. In a ...3 days ago
- Wellington Stands Up For Abortion Rights This Saturday, 2 DecemberOn Saturday 2 December, pro-choice supporters will rally and march to defend abortion rights and to counter anti-choice conservatives. The rally starts at 1pm at Te Aro Park (Dixon/Manners) with speakers in the Park before marching. ...3 days ago
- Listen: The RBNZ’s wet blanket for summerThe Reserve Bank surprised everyone this week by warning it may have to raise interest rates again to force inflation down, effectively eliminating the prospect of major mortgage rate cuts over the coming summer. In this week’s episode of When the Facts Change, Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr joins Bernard ...3 days ago
- Restore Passenger Rail Ōtepoti Slow March 4th December 2023Ōtepoti supporters of Restore Passenger Rail will slowly walk from the Railway Station to the Octagon on Monday morning, in support of their campaign’s demands that the new Government restores a nationwide passenger rail service and provides ...3 days ago
- Dunne's Weekly: Luxon's Long And Rocky RoadDame Jacinda Ardern observed after she stood down as Prime Minister that "Government isn’t just what you do, it's how you make people feel". While an interesting insight into how she viewed the purpose of government (and, some would argue, an ...3 days ago
- A look back at The Project NZ’s most memorable momentsAs the show prepares for its final episode, we look back at some of the weird and wonderful moments from the last six years of The Project NZ. The Project NZ burst into the 7pm slot in February 2017, and has since served us everything from Lizzo’s opinion on cheese ...3 days ago
- New Zealand’s Biggest Cannabis Event Is On Saturday 2nd December.J Day Is Auckland’s Annual Celebration Of Our Kiwi Cannabis Culture And A Protest Against Prohibition, Held In Albert Park Every Year Since 1992. NORML and friends presents the 31st Annual J Day, usually held on the first Saturday in May every year ...3 days ago
- The Government Must Urgently Reconsider The Proposed Changes To The Oranga Tamariki Act Section 7AAE Tipu e Rea Whānau Services are deeply concerned at the new Government's plan to scrap Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. As an organisation that works with teenage parents and their tamariki who have a history of state intervention, we know ...3 days ago
- The Bulletin: Fortnightly rubbish collections on the cards for AucklandAuckland is considering a move that would reduce kerbside rubbish collections to once a fortnight. It’s part of a council plan to drastically reduce the amount of rubbish produced by households, supported by the recent city-wide rollout of food scrap bins expected to reduce up to 41% of bin contents by ...3 days ago
+100 CV…excellent POST …and the Steering Group, Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity…is a very impressive group
who would be most likely to take heed of such a group ?…Clinton or Trump?
…I would think Trump!
I think Trump’s key advisor Gen Michael Flynn former head of the DIA would definitely pay attention.
Yes, Ray Mcgovern is a courageous and compassionate man. He is well worth viewing on YouTube. As is Chris Hedges. NZ Mainstream Media is seriously lacking and one eyed. Cozying up to Uncle Sam too.
This is essentially what Stephen F Cohen has been saying all this time, good to see that others from that generation are standing up and adding their voices. At a period in his career when he could have sat back and stayed out of it, Cohen has been attacked relentlessly as an ‘apologist’. Out on his own, its clearly been difficult. Hopefully this will encourage more to come forward like this.
The big problem seems to me to be the mainstream media. They have obviously been ordered to get in behind Clinton and consequently all we see is a wall of how wacky Trump is. This creates a vacuum of anything about Clinton other than she’s some kind of saviour.
This great post (thanks CV) will not be seen widely at all because of the mainstream policy. Sure, Trump is a major, major problem but if the real Hillary is not exposed adequately she will waltz in.
Is Trump smart enough to expose her inadequacies with sufficient impact to turn the tide ?
Actually some of us don’t gauge our opinions on the mainstream media. We gauge them on what we witness with our eyes and ears. And what we see from Trump is not pretty to say the least. No, I don’t trust Hillary Clinton. I agree with CV and others she is an establishment candidate and the establishments haven’t exactly done us all proud… as witnessed by the state of so much of the world today. But given there are only two possible choices, Hillary Clinton has to be seen as the lesser of the two evils. I’m just glad I’m not an American.
I agree about the mainstream media and the behind the scenes instruction to get in behind Clinton. I would go so far as to say something very similar has been in operation in NZ with our MSM and the Key government. The over the top infatuation with JK and the lengths they were prepared to go to destroy Labour and its former leaders (especially Cunliffe) smacks of establishment interference to me. It seems to be a little less apparent now but we’ll have to wait and see what happens next year to see whether they are prepared to be more balanced in their election year coverage.
Anne:”And what we see from Trump is not pretty to say the least.”
For some time now, we’ve been subjected by the media to a Trump dump. For this reason, nobody is in a position to make an accurate judgment call on him.
The media has relentlessly focused on Trump’s campaign rhetoric, apparently utterly failing recognise it for what it is.
Conversely, the media has utterly failed to draw attention to Clinton’s warmongering with regard to Russia and China, presumably because that’s not seen as exceptionable. Yet it is that above all which scares the shit out of me. And should do likewise for all of us.
The media also fails to pay attention to the fact that Bill Clinton will be back in the White House: a novel twist on dynasticism, and a back-door means of getting round the limitations on the number of presidential terms an individual can serve.
She’s already said that she wants him to run economic policy; I’d take bets that’ll be the least of his involvement in the governing of the US. This is what the media should be talking about: this, and her relentless warmongering, are what really matters. Clinton is most certainly not the lesser of two evils.
Scott Adams: Trump’s temperament for President
http://blog.dilbert.com/post/151288850856/presidential-temperament
+100 D’Esterre…totally agree
Clinton is most certainly not the lesser of two evils.
I don’t agree but I respect your opinion which is held by others on this site.
However, the point I was making is that not everybody passes judgement based on what is written in newspapers or what they read or hear online. Many of us actually listen and watch the candidates and pass judgement on what we directly witness. On that basis I think Clinton is the lesser of the two evils for the simple reason that Trump presents as tin-pot crazy whereas Clinton doesn’t. His misogyny for one thing dates back to the dark ages and his medieval understanding of many other vital requirements for a president is no less enlightening.
Trump has been presented as being tin pot crazy. Read Scott Adam’s piece: Trump is very highly predictable in actual fact.
As for misogyny. Look up how Hillary Clinton personally attacked and undermined the multiple women who claimed that Hillary’s husband had sexually attacked them.
Then rethink through her facade.
Trump has been presented as being tin pot crazy.
That is not what I said CV. That is the way he presents to me – quite different.
As for Hillary Clinton. I don’t take to her. Too “plastic” for me.
That is why I’m glad to be non American. Now if the candidate had been Bernie Sanders…
There was never going to be that choice allowed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oBo8CJxatQ
The media has relentlessly focused on Trump’s campaign rhetoric, apparently utterly failing recognise it for what it is.
I think the media have started in recent months doing a much better job of recognizing Trump’s rhetoric for the vile racist, disgusting sexist, scientifically illiterate, paranoid delusional garbage that it truly is.
Phil: ” recognizing Trump’s rhetoric for the vile racist, disgusting sexist, scientifically illiterate, paranoid delusional garbage that it truly is.”
Words, my dear fellow, words… You know, what candidates say on the campaign trail, as opposed to what they actually do when elected. Our current PM, for example.
what candidates say on the campaign trail, as opposed to what they actually do when elected.
For more than 30 years, Donald Trump has demonstrated, quite publicly, gross ignorance of almost every political matter he has spoken on. He shows at every opportunity a blatant and willful disregard for the concern of anything other than his personal gain.
You think this is a man who is suddenly going to become sensible, rational, and thoughtful, if elected to literally the most powerful political position in the world?
Saw this in The Press today.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/oct/3/us-russia-tension-escalates-as-vladimir-putin-ends/
68 tonnes of weapons grade plutonium is now potentially able to be used for nuclear weapons manufacture again.
Damn sad.
The plutonium treaty required both Russia and the USA to build nuclear processing facilities which would turn the plutonium into MOX fuel. This fuel would then be used in nuclear power stations, where the weapons grade plutonium in the MOX fuel would be permanently and irreversibly destroyed.
After an updated version of the treaty was finally signed in 2010 the US arbitrarily and unilaterally chose to process the plutonium via a reversible chemical process, instead of using the agreed one way nuclear reaction fed by MOX fuel.
TL/DR Russia has now canned the treaty because the US unilaterally abandoned the long agreed and irreversible MOX fuel approach to getting rid of the plutonium.
That’s the version they dish out for distribution by Putin enthusiasts, as it sounds vaguely reasonable. The actual reasons are identified by Russia’s criteria for lifting the suspension – those criteria being the lifting of sanctions, payment of compensation for the sanctions and the withdrawal of NATO protection of Russia’s western neighbours.
That’s correct. Russia will not revisit the plutonium agreement as long as the US continues to escalate hostile actions against Russia.
Anyway, why would Russia ever go back into a plutonium agreement with the USA when the USA has shown no ability to abide by the basic terms of such an agreement?
Meh. The dispute over method of disposal was regarded as too trivial to warrant suspending the agreement until Putin wanted propaganda talking points for his current aggro with the USA. And both the sanctions and the enthusiasm of Russia’s western neighbours for NATO protection are artifacts of Putin’s “escalation of hostilities” against those neighbours, not of anything the USA has done.
You may think the difference between permanent destruction of weapons grade plutonium and reversible chemical storage of weapons grade plutonium is “trivial” but the Russians do not.
You’re thinking like a PR-centric westerner.
The Russian Government is signalling to its counterparts in the American Government how serious the deterioration in the two countries strategic relationship have now got.
Let’s see if there is anyone left in the American Government with the wisdom left to listen and think. Unlike State Dept spox Kirby who the other day was talking about Russian soldiers going home in body bags.
And who in the Russian government is left to listen and think? Because the deterioration in the strategic relationship isn’t a one-way thing, and there’s no sign that Putin has any interest in not using his military to get his way.
Please get serious. Estonia and Latvia are not only indefensible, but they also have zero security importance for western Europe.
By aggressively expanding right up to Russia’s borders, NATO has now undermined the entire security situation of Europe and of its membership.
In doing so it has created a new job and a new future for itself.
That Russia sees the placement of nuclear capable missiles only a couple of hundred kilometres from its borders as a direct provocation against Russia’s fundamental national security is of zero surprise to any Cold War analyst worth his salt.
” placement of nuclear capable missiles only a couple of hundred kilometres from its borders “(Russia)
What nuclear capable missiles are these ? Western European countries dont have any and the INF treaty removed the smaller ( cruise) land based nuclear missiles from inventory
“The INF Treaty eliminated all nuclear and conventional missiles, as well as their launchers, with ranges of 500–1,000 kilometres (310–620 mi) (short-range) and 1,000–5,500 kilometres (620–3,420 mi) (intermediate-range).” Wikipedia
So there are no land based nuclear capable missiles around that are below 5500km range.
The NATO/US ABM system recently placed in Romania will become nuclear capable with the upgrades planned for it, according to the Kremlin.
I don’t think that is true.
A quick google shows me that France has nuclear tipped submarine launched ICBMs, and of course the UK has Trident.
Nato/US ABM isnt nuclear capable by any stretch of the the definition.
This part id definitly incorrect, in fact is designed to shoot down shorter ranged ballistic nuclear missiles ( or conventional ones)
No one , not even Russia, uses nuclear anti aircraft or anti missile weapons.
Nuclear submarines dont depend on natos borders, as of course they are hidden in the oceans.
I specifically mentioned land based as you were referring to land borders.
Those ABM missiles are being upgraded to be nuclear capable in the next few years.
Tipped with nuclear warheads, a simple software change – which cannot be spotted by the Romanians – will retask the mission of the missile from ABM duty to nuclear warhead delivery.
Meanwhile, in the real world, here’s what a great power with an unsavoury agenda moving nuclear missiles to threaten its neighbours looks like.
Russia will counter every move NATO makes from now on. If NATO is reckless enough to station German troops on Russian borders once again this is what you will get.
US/NATO should have abided by the promise that they gave Gorbachev to not move NATO a single inch to the east.
Now Russia has figured out that the promises of US/NATO cannot be trusted – not even their promises to separate out US backed moderate rebels from the terrorist ISIL/Jihadists in Syria so that a political peace process can begin.
CV’s and Russia’s definiton (redundancy there) of “nuclear capable” means “able to carry, theoretically, nuclear weapons”, and does not include things like “has the right sockets to hold any nuke in the inventory” or “has a targeting system that is able to arm, detonate or provide vector information to any nuke in the inventory”, or “even has the right COM port plugs”, or “can handle the resulting shift in the centre of gravity when you replace the conventional of kinetic warhead with a block of uranium or plutonium and associated shielding”, or anything technical like that.
Basically, a 50cc scooter might count as a “nuclear capable delivery system” by their measure.
Exactly, once they had nuclear capable ‘backpacks’
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W54
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W54#/media/File:SADM_container_H-912.jpg
yeah. It’s not the size of the warhead, it’s how to tell it when to go “boom” in the right place.
They actually had an artillery piece that fired a nuclear warhead. The smallest version involved firing the gun and jumping into your trench because the blast radius was larger than the range of the gun.
But whether the ABM breaks apart if they bung a nuke in it because all of a sudden it’s more nose-heavy than designed and can’t take the G-load and shimmy? Who knows…
Please get serious. Estonia and Latvia are not only indefensible, but they also have zero security importance for western Europe.
See, that’s an answer that you personally might find eminently satisfactory, but it’s not really surprising that the governments of Estonia and Latvia feel differently, is it? Russia’s European neighbours have excellent reasons for not trusting Russia, and no number of hours of RT propaganda will change that. Blaming NATO for it is like blaming your wife’s divorce lawyer for your divorce.
That Russia sees the placement of nuclear capable missiles only a couple of hundred kilometres from its borders as a direct provocation against Russia’s fundamental national security is of zero surprise to any Cold War analyst worth his salt.
That Russia releases propaganda lies about stuff NATO’s up to is unsurprising, yes.
Psycho Milt, you are way out of your comfort zone. Have you considered a career in talk radio?
He must get his ideas from this guy..
Larry Lackwit
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/larry-williams-drive-with-anz/
Oh my God, Paul! How could you do that? I was having a good afternoon until I clicked on your link.
I see the Lackwit wears glasses now. Do you think he’s been reading some books? (I don’t think so.)
Is Paul another of Breen’s multitudinous sockpuppets ?
Is there any room left for the fine citizens of Northcote point amongst this ongoing birthing of online personas ?
Serious questions which deserve an answer.
Williams presently standing in for Hosking.
Here is this week’s audience with the Dear Leader.
sycophant
noun
a person who acts obsequiously towards someone important in order to gain advantage.
synonyms: toady, creep, crawler, fawner, flatterer, flunkey, truckler, groveller, doormat, lickspittle, kowtower, obsequious person, minion, hanger-on, leech, puppet, spaniel, Uriah Heep; informalbootlicker, yes-man; vulgar slangarse-licker, arse-kisser, brown-nose; vulgar slangsuckhole
“he was surrounded by flatterers and sycophants”
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/video/video-john-key-speaks-to-larry-williams/
I get why the hours you clock up listening to braying idiots on the radio might convince you that you’re better-informed than other people, but you’re overlooking the problem with your sample. I only see Dunning-Kruger effect in your comments
Speaking on Russian TV, she warned of those whose “logic is ‘why do we need diplomacy’ … when there is power … and methods of resolving a problem by power. We already know this logic; there is nothing new about it. It usually ends with one thing – full-scale war.”
Gaah! The irony has reached toxic levels!
This is interesting : Keiser interviews David Stockman, author of ‘Trumped: A Nation on the Brink of Ruin’ in the second half of the Keiser Report .
Stockman’s opinion is that while Trump is an “unknown” he is outside the establishment and has a more pragmatic deal making approach to foreign relations and peace in the Middle East and with Russia. Hillary Clinton is part of the oligarchy of the last 30 years. She a “known known evil”.
https://www.rt.com/shows/keiser-report/361528-episode-max-keiser-975/
http://davidstockmanscontracorner.com/book-review-of-david-stockmans-trumped-a-nation-on-the-brink-ruin/
…”In regards to defense spending, Stockman says “The one thing that I learned during my time on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue is that the defense budget, and the military-industrial complex that perpetuates it, is the mother’s milk of fiscal irresponsibility.”…
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11723175
too late!
This is a very interesting four way discussion on potential looming nuclear war between USA and Russia.
Adam Garrie of ‘The Duran’ is particularly impressive.
The Western mainstream media is shown up as being utterly incompetent in facing up to the issues and the threat.
https://www.rt.com/shows/crosstalk/361409-diplomatic-rhetoric-syria-conflict/
http://theduran.com/author/adam-garrie/
So what should be on the agenda of such a meeting?
The leading topic should be agreement on a full NO FLY ZONE over Syria by all military aircraft.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/10/isis-air-strikes-undermine-anti-assad-rebels-syria
Thats ridiculous- artillery would still be killing civilians every day.
The agenda would be interesting, wouldn’t it? According to these guys, the US representatives should assure the people currently bombarding Syrian cities that the US is no threat to peace in Syria. Reassured, the people currently bombarding Syrian cities would… what, exactly?
Another not so well known quote from the author of it is better to “Jaw, jaw.”
Churchill- who wanted to use poison gas on those resisting British rule in ME.
On the death of Trịnh Thị Ngọ, (Hanoi Hanna)
.
.Hi CV
. I think the main reason the USA should bow out of War War War, is because The United States is not adept at choosing a war nor adept at winning them.
Sanity is not the mindset of our American cousins. No matter what they say.
Having said that, The Jewish people within the Third Reich, failed to sense the monstrous genocide whipped up by a weird SS and Hitler and Goebbels.
Failing to respond to serious threat is not a virtue. And we should not in my opinion consider Vladimir Putin to be the Archangel Gabriel. Schooled by the Dalai Lama.
The USA would best say very few words; keep their powder dry; and expect that evil is a reality of our inhumane world.
.
Largely I agree although I differ on the identification of the ‘genocidal ideology’.
The true “monstrous” and “serious threat” to our civilisation is coming from the promulgation of wahabbi-salafist extremism that is exported from Saudi Arabia to a hundred countries around the world, under the political protection of the USA.
.
. Yes CV
. Extremism is always an indicator of mindlessness. No matter what the issue or what the so called light at the end of the tunnel turns out to be..
America with all its mighty “Intelligence” failed to see or anticipate the “Warplanes” heading towards New York’s Twin Towers.
Just as they failed to “see” the Japanese war planes hurtling towards Pearl Harbour.
I know I sound simplistic when I say that a meeting of aggressive Nations should be called to discuss the possibility of agreeing not to sell arms to one another or to any nation or trouble spot.
The Gun with its fellow traveler the bomb, is the most cowardly instrument ever devised. The Fighter and Bomber raids are just absolute evil gun carriers 33,000 feet above the women and children.
Also, the gun has killed many more people by far than nuclear weapons.
However I know there is no such thing as a noble big Nation. Nor is there a noble aggressive Religion.
.Nobility escapes our species. No matter how many medals you stitch on the soldier’s tunic. Nor how many Virgins for Fucking Mohammed hands out to his child warriors.
.
.
US planning illegal act of war.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/josh-rogin/wp/2016/10/04/obama-administration-considering-strikes-on-assad-again/?hpid=hp_no-name_opinion-card-e%3Ahomepage%2Fstory
You don’t seem to know what “planning” means. Russia and its client will remain free to commit war crimes in Syria undisturbed by the USA, at least while Obama’s in office.
You really do need to become more informed before commenting.
Here are some informed voices.
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/confused-about-the-us-response-to-isis-in-syria-look-to-the-cias-relationship-with-saudi-arabia-a7087791.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/aleppo-siege-syria-assad-isis-srebrenica-kosovo-robert-fisk-west-won-t-go-to-war-a7171466.html
https://www.thenation.com/article/more-squandered-opportunities-to-deal-with-the-new-cold-war/
https://off-guardian.org/2016/10/05/fact-sheet-on-the-white-helmets/
fisk is damned good, btw.
Not in a “oh gosh I agree with what he says” way, but in a “he actually does a shitload of work and is usually spot on” way. ISTR back around the Israeli invasion of Lebanon he did some work on “Israeli” hellfire debris serial numbers. The missile turned out to come from a batch that had been purloined from the US Marines, and they were a bit pissed about it because the loss came from their budget rather than official aid to Israel, lol. I can’t recall the last time a NZ journo did digging to serial-number level.
Although in this case he backs up the point that not every pentagon plan is activated 😉
Before I waste my time – anything about the US “planning” a war in there?
Ridding Syria of the west’s 101 flavours of so-called “moderate” Jihadist terrorists is now underway. Yes, there will be plenty of civilian casualties in the rebel held sector of Aleppo as a result, but Russia has already done what it can to open up escape corridors from those areas.
NATO/US could of course minimise these civilian casualties by forcing Turkey to cut off resupply to these jihadists, effectively ending their fighting ability within a couple of weeks.
But of course, NATO/US/Turkey will not do this, as they are still hopeful of using these jihadists as a proxy fighting force to regime change Assad.
I expect that the combat tactics that the Syrian Government army and Russia will employ against the jihadists will be very comparable to what the US/US supported Iraqi forces have already done in places like Mosul and Fallujah.
In the end I suspect that their actions won’t be any more, or any less, war crimey than the precedents the United States has already set.
CV: “I expect that the combat tactics that the Syrian Government army and Russia will employ against the jihadists will be very comparable to what the US/US supported Iraqi forces have already done in places like Mosul and Fallujah.”
Precisely. Not going Godwin here, but Antony Beevor’s account of the fall of Berlin at the end of WW2 is worth a read. The privations and suffering of the citizens were unimaginable for us. Yet I’m fairly certain that no – or few – Allied voices were heard in their defence. I’ll hedge my bets here, but I’ve never read any literature citing such concerns from any groups or individuals. They were the enemy, after all: no mention of war crimes there.
Sometimes, it only takes one thread to remind me what an idiot CV is, and to wonder how many other sane people his mendacious, toweringly egotistical and long running tanty at losing in Dunedin have been turned off this site by him apart from me?
For God’s sake, muzzle that dog!
If you were a Russian it’s less likely you would say that. I’ve made my view clear for a long time; the nations of the world will give up part of their sovereignty to a global federated government, similar to the UN, but with the power and independence to act.
Until then the human race will continue to be tortured and shamed by these barbaric, shitty wars. Wars where NO-ONE has the slightest scrap of moral high ground from which to posture. Wars in which truth is the first thing buried under the rubble, wars in which are totally avoidable but we collectively plunge headlong into because there are no grown-ups in charge.
I assume from the outset that everything I read about these wars from a mainstream source is either a flat-out lie, plain old propaganda or selective spin at best. If the media are like eyes to the world, then most are either blind, looking the wrong way, or wearing very dark glasses. Viewpoints that can be trusted like Fisk, Pilger or Cole are rare. We only get small fleeting glimpses of the truth, and none of us see it all in one moment.
Personally sitting around ‘railing about how shit it all is’ isn’t going to alter Aleppo’s suffering one jot. So I don’t do it. The solution does not lie in determining which of Obama or Putin is the lessor evil; the solution lies elsewhere, removing from them their power to act unilaterally in these proxy wars, and giving it to a global body that is charged to represent the interests of the whole of the human race. (And before you splutter over your cornflakes, no I do not underestimate the awful scope of this task. It’s just that the consequences of failing to do so are an order of magnitude greater.)
And the day Labour comes out and makes a full, unreserved and frank apology for the Fourth Labour govt … your cheap shot about Dunedin might have point.
Major General Igor Kalenshokov makes a press statement, on the flimisiest evidence of some un-identified leaks, from some identified source, that Washington is considering attacking Syrian Government forces.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ0cTxABUY8
The truth of course is that the US and the Bathist regime of Basha Assad have had a long time working relationship.|
Syria was one of the countries that made up the original “Coalition Of The Willing”. Basha Assad provided 19,000 Syrian soldiers to the US for the first Gulf War.
Syria has been a long time destination for the CIA program of “Special Rendition” for the purposes of torture, which is banned in the US under the American Constitution forbidding cruel and unusual punishment.
When the Arab Spring that had toppled Western and US backed dictators in Tunisia and Egypt arrived in Syria the US was caught flat footed not knowing what to do.
In Egypt on the toppling of Mubarak the US rushed an extra $3 billion to the Egyptian military to help them topple the popular regime of President Morsi and promote General Al Sisi into power.
In Syria it was different, there was no obvious pro US, (pro-Israel), replacement for Basha Assad. Assad has privatised all his countries assets at the behest of IMF and the World Bank and impose austerity on his people. All the while protecting US and Western interests in the Middle East. Not least providing US Ally Israel with a secure and reliable border to their North.
Seeing the US vacillation over Syria, Russia opportunistically saw a gap in the market for propping up brutal puppet regimes going free.
As well as expanding Russian influence in the Middle East.
Russia’s intervention in Syria is also about telling their US rival where to get off.
Hey look! We can bomb other people’s countries to keep dictators in power and get away with it too.
And just in case the US don’t get the message, remind them that you are still a nuclear power.
Bill and and Colonial Viper’s repeating of the regime’s propaganda that there is no popular revolt by the Syrians to liberate themselves from Tyranny and dictatorship, and that it is all a foreign CIA plot, is at its core racist and an insult to the Arab people. Not only that but it is an incitement to even more attrocities against the people of Syria.
As I said in 2011 when Colonial Viper first began his cheer leading for the Assad regime which was at that time slaughtering peaceful protesters in the streets.
I did not think Colonial Viper’s open support for mass murder and bloodshed was suitable for a family friendly blog site like The Standard.
Dozens of members of the Syrian Government security forces were killed and injured by the crowds of “peaceful” protestors (which included foreign agent provacateurs at a guess) before Assad resorted to using deadly force.
The true bloodshed which moved the death toll into the tens of thousands, then the hundreds of thousands, arose when the US and its allies decide to use this deliberate destabilisation of the Syrian Government to infiltrate massive numbers of foreign Jihadists fighters into Syria and fund and arm them to the teeth.
All the while the western presstitutes followed the establishment line that the conflict in Syria was a popular uprising, a “civil war” (sure, a civil war full of fighters from across Europe, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc.).
Huh?
How The Syria’s White Helmets Became The Latest Neocon Tool For Regime Change
Though the US has been supplying rebels with weapons directly and indirectly since 2013, including Al Qaeda-connected Al-Nusra/Fateh Al-Sham, the White Helmets are advocating further US intervention in the form of a No Fly Zone (NFZ) in Syria…..
http://www.mintpressnews.com/syrias-white-helmets-became-latest-neocon-tool-regime-change/221199/
The civil defence crews trying to deal with an aerial bombing campaign against their city would like a no-fly zone imposed? Astonishing – must be that neocon influence, what else could explain it?
Firstly, it’s not “their” city. These “White Helmet” PR tools operate directly alongside the rebels including al-Nusra in the shrinking part of Aleppo which is still held by Islamist rebels.
Secondly, an end to the Russian air support providing the Syrian Government Army with back up will not only help the jihadists but it will also prolong the fighting in the rebel held sector of Aleppo.
Thirdly, the imposition of a no-fly zone over Syria (or over Aleppo) by US forces will involve the illegal destruction of both Russian and Syrian air defence assets and the killing of both Russian and Syrian military personnel. Which will immediately lead the US to war against Russia and Syria.