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To: Capt Phoenix
Capt

You are indeed welcome to your opinion and we will just have to agree to disagree.

Your point re perspective change is an interesting one, in 1985 when in an act of state sponsored terroism a ship, the Rainbow Warrior, was blown up in Auckland Harbour with 12 innocent people on board, one of whom died. Maybe not as horific as the recent events in New York and Washington, but horrific to the people of NZ and a terroist strike.

The NZ Police caught 2 of the terroists, who turned out to be in the French Security Forces and they eventually pleaded guilty and were sentenced to jail.

What was the reaction of the world and in particular our strong allies with whom our country men had fought and died beside in countless wars? Not to mention France who they had died trying to free in two world wars!

France? Committed the act, refused to hand over 4 others involved.

The USA & UK? (And remember ANZUS was still operating). Put pressure on the NZ government to hand over the terroists back to France!

Eventually bowing to pressure and adhering to a decision of the world court NZ handed over the two terroists, who were supposed to spend the rest of there jail term in a French prison, some pitiful compensation was paid at the time. The two terroists went to a French resort in the Pacific for a year or so and then were returned to France to receive a heroes welcome and medals.

So before anymore of you talk about NZ having to stand up to our obligations, which we always have and always will do think about whether your country has always lived up to yours. Where was the global fight against terroism in 1985? Has perspective changed?

157 posted on 09/21/2001 5:55:29 PM PDT by Verbatim
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To: Verbatim
Good point Verbatim. Where was our Government when the French resorted to terrorism on Auckland harbour in 1985? Was it regarded as an attack on the US??? No because we were so worried that the rest of the world might catch the NZ disease and say no to nuclear armed warships in their ports. Well that hasn't happened. Maybe it is time to rethink things re New Zealand - who in words, deeds and blood has proved that is as staunch an ally as any other country. Lets formalize things so we are once more allies rather than friends and so that next time someone tries to bully our allies downunder we can repay some of the Kiwi generosity. We don't need to involve the Aussies. Given their recent treachery in seeking to exclude NZ from a free trade agreement with the US I suspect they are as pleased that ANZUS is now a bilateral deal as some of my ultra red-neck countrymen commenting on this issue.
160 posted on 09/21/2001 6:20:39 PM PDT by Truerepublican
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