Just another coverup

Written By: - Date published: 7:03 am, October 14th, 2015 - 7 comments
Categories: accountability, Gerry Brownlee, iraq, john key, war - Tags: , , , ,

Yesterday morning I wrote that Key’s convenient “ignorance” of a report into the conditions at Taji camp in Iraq was just a bit too cute.

In later developments that day Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee said that Key had indeed been briefed.

Then he (how unexpected is this!) changed his mind:

Brownlee recants comments over PM’s knowledge of Defence report

The Defence Minister is recanting comments that contradicted the Prime Minister over his knowledge of a critical report on Coalition training bases in Iraq.

Yesterday John Key said he was unaware of the report published by the US Department of Defence, but this afternoon defence Minister Gerry Brownlee said Mr Key was told about it before his visit to Taji Airbase last week.

“There has since been discussions and it would seem he did not know. Nothing was forwarded to him that he could have known until he got back to New Zealand on Friday, two days after the PM left Taji. …

Looks like just another routine coverup of just another routine lie. At least, I hope so, because not knowing / caring about the report would be worse.


Felix Marwick was all over developments yesterday:

7 comments on “Just another coverup ”

  1. savenz 1

    Truth is so inconvenient for the Natz.

    After sending the Kiwis into a US led occupation, after the Natz denying they were sending the troops for months and then not really caring what happens there. It’s just being part of the club. Remember it is an un winable war so they are just trying to occupy and save money and ’embarrassing’ info like how the overpriced guns don’t work and how they can’t be bothered giving their trainees power etc is not really of much interest to our PM – just the taxpayer funded photo OP of John Key risking life and limb to spend 5 minutes with the troops (listening to their problems is optional).

    Now onto Pandas.

  2. linda 2

    Buisness us usual at natz incorperated denie denie lie bluster. Blame it labours fault. Nothing to see here get some guts

  3. Detrie 3

    Lie, spin, plead ignorance, or blame it on the opposition, knowing the daily press won’t scrutinise or follow up. An easy strategy for sleazy right wing governments….

  4. dukeofurl 4

    Gerry has created more ‘pandamonium’

  5. Ffloyd 5

    Gerry didn’t get the memo obviously. Head full of pandas. Dear Gerry, NOBODY BELIEVES A SINGLE WORD YOU SAY!! Bet gijohn wasn’t happy with you, you *forgetful* ignorant twit. As for gijohn, instead of being the laughing stock he has been, be is now a sad, sorry, spectacle of a *man*. Every time he opens his mouth he causes a collective national *eye-roll*. Very tedious little man.

  6. Tracey 6

    has Key replied to doctors without borders request to convene an enquiry pursuant to protocol I 1997 against usa to which we are a signatory… has anyone even asked him??

  7. Tracey 7

    one of them has just been proven incompetent

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