For decades, the ringing statements on human rights by various European and US governments have been undermined by the diplomatic support they’ve given to the […]
There had been a fortnight of fevered buildup. Yet here we are in the aftermath of the February 28 showdown between the new Syriza government […]
Given that it has been politically packaged and sold as a training mission, the Iraq deployment announced yesterday by Prime Minister John Key seemed to […]
There are two ways of framing the story of our troop deployment in Iraq. They go roughly like this: The Official Version : We are […]
On RNZ this morning, Labour leader Andrew Little expressed his support for air strikes in Iraq against Islamic State – and by doing so, he […]
The boundary line between our troops having (a) an ‘advise and assist’ role in Iraq and (b) an actual combat role – which Prime Minister […]
One of the main achievements of the Clark government was that it kept New Zealand out of overt involvement in the 2003 Iraq invasion. It […]
When Parliament resumes on October 20, Prime Minister John Key will reportedly be making a major speech on security and intelligence issues. The speech is […]
There is an Alice Through the Looking Glass quality to the current response to the Islamic State. Everything about it seems inside out. Many people […]
For the Syrian people, the next ten years offers them two really unpleasant choices. They can be slaughtered by the forces of the Islamic State, […]
Say one thing for Russian President Vladimir Putin. At least he’s given NATO a purpose in life. Right now, that consists of being something that […]
Yesterday, this column compared events in Egypt to the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989 and – spookily – there is now an image to drive […]
Image: RNZAF Ever since the last White Paper in 2010, Defence has been putting its staff through the wringer in a cost reduction exercise so […]
Labour’s Economic Development spokesperson David Cunliffe made a useful contribution to the ports of Auckland dispute this morning. As Cunliffe says, the proposals that management […]
One of the tried and true maxims of management is that business hates uncertainty – because, don’t you know, business can’t be done in a […]
Iran’s rulers preside over one of the most thuggish, repressive regimes on the planet, but the West’s apparent readiness to go to war over Iran’s […]
As the election campaigns of the major parties kick off, our own Electoral Commission should take inspiration from its counterpart in Tunisia, and in particular […]
Somehow, the job that we’re doing in Afghanistan is so crucial that it is worth our SAS soldiers dying for – but only until 31st […]
Nicky Hager’s book launch press conference. Video credit: Anne Russell In late 2001, I remember interviewing Helen Clark on another subject, but took the opportunity […]
The New Zealand Defence Force never ceases to amaze. Yesterday’s report into the death last year in Afghanistan of Lieutenant Tim O’Donnell has found shortcomings […]
Illustration by Tim Denee – www.timdenee.com As the work of a homegrown right wing dissident, the Norway massacre clearly has more in common with the […]
Illustration by Tim Denee – www.timdenee.com A typical day at the office for the New Zealand forces in Afghanistan. On one hand, we passed the […]
Illustration by Tim Denee – www.timdenee.com Only a National government could get away with the changes in the New Zealand Defence Force now taking place […]
No doubt, Prime Minister John Key will be waiting on his instructions from Washington and Canberra about the final timetable for the withdrawal of NZ […]
Illustration by Tim Denee – www.timdenee.com So now that he’s dead, we can bring the troops home now, can’t we? Because the only reason our […]
Click for big version Illustration by Tim Denee – www.timdenee.com Was the intervention in Libya justified – and if so, does that mean the invasion […]
Nearly four months after the Pike River disaster, the mine’s unpaid contractors are still waiting for the promised government support package to be unveiled. The […]
Credit: Cine del Sur Just before Christmas, Scoop reported on the silencing of Iran’s leading film-maker, Jafar Panahi. Panahi has been imprisoned by the authorities […]
Article – Gordon Campbell Surprisingly, there still seem to be a few liberals out there who regard Wikileaks as operating in a morally fraught, grey […]
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