Immigration debate – Peters goes full racist
Yesterday Winston Peters chucked a gallon of petrol onto the smouldering immigration debate.
International
Anzac Day
Am I the only one who is upset, over mealy mouthed politicians making flowery speeches saying “We will remember them”
when they manifestly don’t.
NRT: Spying for the whales
I/S at No Right Turn: “spies are corrosive of our values. Its one thing to spy in wartime, out of military necessity. Its quite another to do it in peace, on your friends, for self-advantage.
The French Presidential Runoff
The French Presidential run off presents worrying signs for progressives. Why is the electorate sliding to the right?
Anzac Day
There is a list of Anzac Day services here, and a list of peace vigils here.
An appropriate day to contemplate “the meaning of honour”.
The first 100 Global Trump days
Donald Trump’s had his first 100 days ruling his big chunk of the world. Things have changed dramatically from Barack Obama’s time.
Left Rising.
In something over 24 hours time from now, the results from the first round of the French Presidential elections will be in.
Dog’s Breakfast.
If politicians are meant to represent people, then shouldn’t they explore ways to ensure that the people they represent get represented in government?
The NZDF’s transparent fig leaf
According to David Fisher (Herald) the NZDF never investigated allegations of civilian deaths at the time of Operation Burnham. They received only a summary of the whitewash ISAF report. They refuse to look further. This is the behaviour of an organisation with plenty to hide. Hager and Stephenson have facts, the NZDF are hiding behind a transparent fig leaf of deliberate ignorance.
New ambassador will represent Trump well.
Trump has nominated a failed senator Scott Brown to be the ambassador to New Zealand. As a Fox presenter of alt-facts and a supporter of waterboarding to produce them, he sounds like a ignorant dickhead. A worthy representative of the Donald.
Missing voices
Former Trump supporter speaks Her Truth
Immigration in election year
National is about to execute a flip flop on immigration, not for any constructive reason, but to try and head off Winston Peters’ big issue.
May seeks UK snap election
Theresa May is seeking a snap election on 8 June.
Black is White. Up is Down.
Media have a role to play, apparently…
Helen Clark farewelled by UN
Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski
Duck and Cover
Donald Trump is engaged in some over the top brinkmanship with North Korea which is increasing the prospects of at least a limited exchange of nuclear weapons.
My five books for Donald Trump
What books should POTUS read during this most religious of times.
Big Barrel Bomb
Firstly, remember how you’re meant to feel about even the mere accusation of the use of barrel bombs. Now put those feelings aside.
Canada
Every once in a while, an administration that doesn’t check it’s collective brain out at the door assumes office. That may be the case with Canada’s current government.
Framing Syria
If you’re determined to believe that western liberal democracy is essentially benign and only ever makes mistakes and honest mis-judgements, or is something that’s sometimes marred by an odd ‘bad apple’ or two, then this post on Syria probably isn’t the post for you.
Mediawatch on Hit and Run
“Has the meaning of book Hit and Run been obscured by all the claims and counter-claims in the media?” – Yes of course it has, and that is a deliberate strategy on the part of people who are desperate to avoid an inquiry.
Syria sarin capitalism and war
The dirty truth behind many of the wars that our political / media world gets itself so excited about is that they wouldn’t be happening without the arms that we (the “western” world) sell so copiously.
National’s response to the Syria attack
Unlike the Australian and United Kingdom Governments’ response to the American attack has been muted and confused. Is this just the nature of anything that Bill English says or is it an attempt to assess public opinion before responding?
Green Party criticises US strike on Syria
“We expect and deserve cooler heads than this from our global leaders.”
World War?
Well…don’t know about you, but I’m feeling like I want to throw up.
Small on the Nats’ Key deficit on Hit and Run
Vernon Small thinks the B Team is missing Key.
The truth will out
English can squirm and deny, but according to Stephenson there is more Hit and Run to come.
Warmongering
Right wing agendas seize control in England and America. Talk of war from England and America. Probably just a coincidence.
Land of the long white wash
In ruling out an inquiry Bill English insults both our intelligence and our integrity. Next stop the International Criminal Court? (Alas the title is not mine, take a bow Finlay MacDonald.)
The NZDF will never clear its name – and neither will Bill English
It’s likely that some time this week Bill English will announce that there will be no inquiry into operation Burnham. The NZDF will lose any opportunity to clear its name. Fronting up to the truth, whatever it may be, is better than the perception of a shabby coverup.
Update: And there it is – no inquiry.
HERALD EXCLUSIVE ON HIT AND RUN shows they haven’t read it
Worst piece of “journalism” on Hit and Run so far.
Update: To their credit, as of 11am this piece of nonsense seems to have vanished from The Herald website.
Former Defence Minister Wayne Mapp: “As a nation we owe it to ourselves to find out”
Mapp: “Part of protecting their reputation is also finding out what happened, particularly if there is an allegation that civilian casualties may have been accidentally caused. In that way we both honour the soldiers, and also demonstrate to the Afghans that we hold ourselves to the highest ideals of respect of life, even in circumstances of military conflict.”
Brexit begins
Here we are then. Article 50 has been invoked, and the 2 year countdown to Brexit begins.
Trumping Idiocy
If you are absolutely determined to be one of the idiot legion who’re forever squirreling their heads deeper into sand, then don’t read this post.
The 60th Anniversary of the European Union
Last week the main heads of the European Union governments got together to celebrate 60 years since the first declaration in Rome. This is a good time to review if it is still fulfilling its original goals.
Hit and Run developments
It appears that the questioned NZDF attack took place at the location claimed by the force, but hit the villages named by the book (coordinates used by various parties are off by 2km).