Gordon Campbell on the Charlie Hebdo killings and response
Now that the Kouachi brothers have made their Butch-and-Sundance dash for martyrdom, and now that the millions have marched in Paris and elsewhere to defend […]
World War
Gordon Campbell on John Key’s posturing about Islamic State
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 […]
Gordon Campbell on New Zealand’s response to Kiwi jihadis
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 […]
Gordon Campbell on the case for using air power against the Islamic State
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 […]
Gordon Campbell on Obama’s major foreign policy speech today on the Islamic State
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, […]
Gordon Campbell on the West’s existential crisis about what to do with Putin, and 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 […]
Gordon Campbell on the US foreign policy somersaults over Syria and Iran
Amidst the day-to-day reports about the military advances of the Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria, one remarkable aspect of this war has barely […]
Gordon Campbell on the diplomatic immunity fallout at MFAT, and Iraq/Vietnam comparisons
Image by Neetflux Terrific. I’m glad that Murray McCully is well and truly determined to get to the bottom of who screwed up the Malaysian […]
On the risks of intervention in Syria
As Barack Obama considers the US-led response to the gas attack in Syria, the nuances of that response are getting more, not less difficult. How […]
Gordon Campbell on Egypt, the F-35 and Nanny National
Yesterday, this column compared events in Egypt to the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989 and – spookily – there is now an image to drive […]
On the crisis in affordable housing
The lack of affordable housing, as Finance Minister Bill English conceded last year, is an example of market failure, and in this Q&A transcript English […]
On Tinariwen, and the forgotten war in Mali
Sometimes, civil war in Africa can even bring suffering to the well-heeled patrons of the International Festival of the Arts in Wellington. Tinariwen, the Tuareg […]
On the only foreign policy issue in this campaign
Ten years ago come Saturday, the Taliban fled Kabul as the US–led forces of Operation Enduring Freedom reached the gates of the Afghan capital. Things […]
On our election campaign opening, and Tunisia’s election triumph
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 […]
On the death of Gaddafi and how the Rena spill relates to East Cape oil exploration
The death of Muammar Gaddafi – either from wounds inflicted by a NATO air strike, or (more likely) from summary execution on his way to […]
On the latest SAS death in Afghanistan
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 […]
On Barack Obama’s latest bailout of Israel
So US President Barack Obama is promising to use a Security Council veto to block any attempt by Palestine to gain UN recognition, and he […]
On Nicky Hager’s new book
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 […]
On Syria, and the lessons of the British riots
The call this morning by the Obama administration for Bashir al-Assad to leave office in Syria, and the US imposition of sanctions has been echoed […]
On the Lieutenant O’Donnell inquiry
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 […]
On declaring victory in Afghanistan, and getting out
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 […]
On Bin Laden, Petrobras and Jon Stephenson
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 […]
Gordon Campbell on Earthquake Welfare and Libya
Illustration by Tim Denee – www.timdenee.com The decision to phase out the government’s support package for Christchurch business seems to have been plucked from the […]
On the intervention in Libya
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 […]
On Pike River, shifting RWC games, Libya
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 […]
On faster (pricier) broadband, and our ongoing Afghan delusions
As the government gradually releases the detail of its ultrafast broadband package, it is becoming clear that this initiative will not be the boon for […]
On a White Paper that puts us back into the ANZUS club
The purpose of a Defence White Paper is to inform the public about how the government plans to arm and use the armed forces to […]
Gordon Campbell: Key's backbone problem with China
On the evidence of the past week, New Zealand has a Prime Minister who seems chronically unable to stand up for himself – or this […]
On the Games, and progress in exporting democracy
Reportedly, Scotland and Wales are sending their teams to the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, while Canada and New Zealand are still delaying team departures, until […]