New Zealand has signed a trade and political deal with Iran’s mullahs. Shame on them. That puts Auckland off my itinerary for now. I’m sure others will feel the same.
UPDATE: I wonder what percentage of the New Zealand public knows that they are trading with a country where the government hangs minors in public squares for having had extra-marital sex. I wonder if the Prime Minister herself knows.
MORE: This oped from London Arabic daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsa regarding Iran’s nuclear threat is probably not widely read in New Zealand either.
Remember New Zealand also recently cut its diplomatic ties with Israel and has long been a strong supporter of Palestinian rights (including the right to blow up Israelis).
And locally, there has been a huge wave of anti-Semitism in New Zealand, including the recent trashing of a large Jewish cemetery and burning of a synagogue…although to its credit, the NZ parliament condemned these act.
“We can always give them a fair hearing because we are not on one side or the other. We’re not north or south. We are actually for disarmament,” Disarmament Minister Marion Hobbs says.
Blah.
New Zealand is still enjoying its holiday from history, secure behind Australia and Britain and America’s protection. They’re like an annoying little brother who knows that no matter how badly he behaves you will always be there to get him out of trouble.
“We are not on one side or the other.”
Well, you damn well should be.
Awfully sporting of the parliament to condemn anti-Semitism.
Any chance of them doing anything to punish the perps, or stop it from happening again?
Or are they just going to continue building bridges to anti-Semites abroad?
Dang, I was kind of hoping to go to New Zealand before too much longer. Guess not.
Any chance of them doing anything to punish the perps, or stop it from happening again?
Oh, I’m sure they will appoint a committee to study things…and if the perps get caught…a stern slap on the wrist, because, you know, they were driven to do it by the Zionists.
OT: Israel gets first Olympic gold medal
I wonder what percentage of the New Zealand public knows that they are trading with a country where the government hangs minors in public squares for having had extra-marital sex.
But they it does secure their oil supply. Another case of blood for oil.
This item was in the news yesterday:
“A man jailed for brutally murdering a teenage girl has been awarded [NZ]$1200 compensation for hurt feelings and humiliation while in prison.” (Bridget Carter, New Zealand Herald, Aug. 23). “In a decision that prompted political anger, the Human Rights Review Tribunal said inmate Andrew MacMillan had suffered “injury to his feelings, loss of dignity and humiliation” when he was denied access to [a letter written about him].
So the simple explanation is that the country of New Zealand has gone stark raving mad.
My oldest son took a long trip to New Zealand three years ago and had a wonderful time.
But since then, with this news item and the recent anti-Semitic outrages, I don’t think he will be returning, and I’ve called off my own plans to go.
But then, we’re Jewish, and so are a part of the VRWZC. (Vast Right-Wing Zionist Conspiracy).
Gotta go off to control the world now, (I’m late for a meeting) and make life miserable for non-Jews everywhere. Talk to y’all later.
Jamie Irons
Roger,
The MEMRI link to the London Arabic newspaper article no longer works. Got another?
Kiwis actively were seeking to enter into bilateral free trade agreement with the US, like Australia did. Unfortunately, because of their ban on nuclear-propelled ship visits to their ports and their stance on Iraq, we declined. In the words of American ambassador to New Zealand on October 8th 2003:
ìWe have never made the nuclear issue a test of our friendship or of our cooperation. Our robust trade and close cooperation in any number of areas bears witness to this.
Yet New Zealandís anti-nuclear legislation does place limits on our relationship. It impedes closer cooperation in some areas. Friends and allies are not the same thing.
Like you, we would like to see the end of this bilateral disagreement. But contrary to the views of some, the United States is not going to just “get over it.” Let me be clear ñ the nuclear issue does not define the US-New Zealand relationship ñ even such a serious disagreement cannot overwhelm the ties that bind us. But it is not cost-free.î
http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0310/S00053.htm
It is very, very sad that NZ seeks to alienate the US even more with this recent move. Maybe they are simply trying to show us how much they donít care what we think about them, but entering into trade agreement with nuclear mullahs of Iran instead of trying to work out the differences with the US strikes me as short-sighted and foolishÖ not to mention immoral.
I am very strong proponent of free trade. Yet I realize that actions have consequences. I will have to remove NZ from my current travel destinations, though I have good friends there and practically standing invitation to visit them. And no more NZ pinot noir.
A lovely photo essay on Dressing in Tehran linked to by Allah.
I’d like to believe that Iran is at a crossroad and will pivot and make the right choice. Increased trade with the west could yield tangible results down the line; a stronger middle class in Iran with greater access to goods and services may ultimately yield to a more demanding secular political class – the democratic roots have been laid down. Whereas closer to shore, the embargo on Cuba has done nothing but strengthen Castro’s grip on his countrymen.
This is somewhat simplified, and I’m glossing over Ireland’s historic grievance against England, but here it is:
Group I: UK, US, Australia
Group II. Ireland, Canada, New Zealand
Group II are all smaller and weaker and depend on Group I for protection, knowing that Group I would come to their aid. Therefore, they feel free to act with reckless disregard and, in fact, with contempt for the value and goals of Group I. Call it the annoying little sister syndrome.
Hey – As as native of Canada I have to say….um, yeah, that’s pretty much true.
It really kills me how Australis, with 2/3 the population of Canada, and a slightly shorter history, is so much more mature and confident. I think that may come from it’s relative isolation and distance from mum (Britain) and dad (USA). It also doesn’t have to suffer its own internal French insurgency (little known fact – if you eliminate Quebec, a very slight majority of Canadians were in favor of invading Iraq) which must be constantly appeased and coddled to maintain “constitutional harmony” natonal unity” (gag, retch). Or maybe it’s just that the descendents of convicts just have more of a F*CK OFF attitude. Whatever the source, Oz is definitely ascedant at the moment.
Yes it is disgusting just how New Zealand is pandering to the enemy states and openly supporting these terror harbouring and funding nations and the real world should consider placing sanctions on this pathetic little nation of cowards whose PM said that Bush was a warmonger and that the world would have been a better place under Gore (can you believe that). Also good people, remember the public photo shoot of the NZ politician kissing and cuddling Arafat not so long ago. Yes they are anti-semite you can be assured of that FACT. Like the UN which the NZ PM yearns to be head of, they are pathetic little cringing hypocrites. Boycott all things NZ and hurt them where it matters-in the welfare sector as it seems that most of the population are welfare bludgers. You can be assured that Aussie wont go to their aid, as they are sick of the bludgers not paying their way in regional security and off their terrorist loving attitudes. The US and Australia saved NZ ass once during WW2, mores the pity the way they carry on and the country by its actions is not worthy of a single drop of either of these great nations blood. And yes I have visited and found the country to be living under a pack of lies-Clean and green-really-donít get me started on that little fallacy.