Petition: John Key should apologise

Written By: - Date published: 4:09 pm, October 10th, 2007 - 15 comments
Categories: iraq - Tags:

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Like many listeners, we were stunned to hear this from a man who wants to lead New Zealand.

Key has since claimed both that he is technically right and that his comment has been taken out of context.

But we’re not buying his excuses. We believe that he should unreservedly apologise to the people of Iraq and all those worldwide who are affected on a daily basis by the ongoing war. We think his comment belittles their suffering and sacrifice.

If you think so too, please visit www.thewariniraqisnotover.com and sign our petition.

Once you’ve signed, please forward it to a friend.

15 comments on “Petition: John Key should apologise ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. bevan 1
    10 October 2007 at 4:30 pm

    So when Helen sent those engineers, was that during the Iraq War, or was it to assist in the post war reconstruction?

  2. Bryce Edwards 2
    10 October 2007 at 4:36 pm

    Isn’t all this just getting rather silly and tired? This issue really is a storm in a teacup, and The Standard just ends up looking incredibly petty. You guys also look incredibly hypocritical. After all, don’t you Standard guys actually support Labour’s stance on The War on Terror? Labour actually sent troops to the occupation! Or do you argue that this was OK, because it was after the invasion/war was over?

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

  3. all_your_base 3
    10 October 2007 at 4:42 pm

    I don’t think it’s acceptable that a man that wants to run the country can glibly be allowed to claim that the war in Iraq is over, then evade questions as to what he actually meant. I’d feel the same if it had been a Labour, Green or other politician who had made these claims as well.

  4. Bryce Edwards 4
    10 October 2007 at 4:52 pm

    But you know very well that Labour politicians have talked all the time about Iraq being in the post-conflict phrase etc. I think it should be people like Helen Clark that should be called to account. Even in early 2003 (a number of weeks after the invasion) she had the following to say in Parliament about the war in Iraq:

    Rt Hon HELEN CLARK: I am very pleased that the war appears to be virtually at an end.

    So how about you have her up about this?

    Clark’s involvement in the War on Terror means she should be sent to the Hague!

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

  5. Robinson 5
    10 October 2007 at 4:57 pm

    Yo Bevan – you’re over here now? I’ve been watching you getting pasted on Kiwiblog and hoped you make it to a site where I wasn’t banned. I think the main issue here is that the engineers are there as part of a United Nations sanctioned reconstruction force while the invasion that JK supported was unsanctioned. Let me spell out what that means for you Bev – our troops are taking part in a mission supported by the majority of the world’s best foreign policy thinkers, Key supported an illegal invasion condemned by those same experts. But hey if Bevan says the rest of the world is wrong who am I to argue? (hint: they passed school c – did you Bevan?)

  6. Bryce Edwards 6
    10 October 2007 at 5:14 pm

    Actually, Robinson – NZ’s troops were actually under the command of US forces – that is the occupying forces in Iraq. Hence, the NZ Labour Government was part of the Occupation of Iraq.

    But also don’t forget that Helen Clark has been fully supportive of the general War on Terror. Labour has even sent the SAS to the Occupation of Afghanistan. When is The Standard going to demand that Clark apologise to her victims in that country? I guess that’d never happen.

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

  7. all_your_base 7
    10 October 2007 at 5:18 pm

    Bryce, I expected you to be behind this kind of thing to be honest. Where are your principles now? John Key should be called to account.

    I’d make the same comment to you that I made in response to Fran O’Sullivan in the weekend: While Clark and Goff did refer to “post-war” Iraq back in 2003 when Bush himself was declaring the war over, the context was quite different. To claim the war is over now, four and a half years later, almost defies belief. Full reply at:

    http://www.thestandard.org.nz/?p=376

  8. Sam Dixon 8
    10 October 2007 at 8:49 pm

    The exact phrasing is not the problem (although it is incrediby callous and stupid), it is that by saying it he revealed a) a total ignorance of current world events b) a total ack of empathy for the victims of the war.

    Here’s the thing, Key was explaining why his party had no mentin at all of Iraq in its foreign policy, he dismissed Iraq, the largest ongoing war and threat to international stability as insignificant.

    Bryce, you’re a smart guy, you should realise that.

  9. bevan 9
    11 October 2007 at 9:29 am

    Robinson, it looks like Bryce has covered most of your spew, so I’ll only point out the following;

    “I’ve been watching you getting pasted on Kiwiblog”

    By Nome, Tane and Sam? Now thats damn thats funny!

    “But hey if Bevan says the rest of the world is wrong who am I to argue? (hint: they passed school c – did you Bevan?)
    ”

    Still with the personnal attacks are you? Do you ever wonder why no one takes you seriously, and quite frankly considers you akin to puss from an infected sore?

  10. Robinson 10
    11 October 2007 at 9:49 am

    Bevan I think you mean “pus” not “puss” (so did you pass school c? – I’m really starting think you didn’t). And plenty of people take me seriously (sometimes they take me so seriously ban me) but if you feel the need to call on some fantastical “others” to validate yourself I’m not gonna get in your way bro.

  11. Insolent Prick 11
    11 October 2007 at 9:51 am

    I agree, John Key should apologise for saying the war is over. So too should Mark Burton, for saying in 2003 that New Zealand army engineers were going to participate in reconstruction of “post-war Iraq”, and Phil Goff, who in 2003 expressed “great relief that the war in Iraq was short.”

  12. Robinson 12
    11 October 2007 at 9:56 am

    Oh and Bev – it’s “consider” (present plural verb) not “considers” (present singular verb). And you expect people to take you seriously?

    IP – Shit you’re right why don’t you get right onto setting up a web petition for that? I’m sure it’ll do better than the kill the bill site has.

    P.S. “ramshackle PR fiasco”

  13. Brian Dooley 13
    15 October 2008 at 1:28 pm

    NZ sent an engineering team to Iraq in response to a United Nations request.

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