[kiwiexpat]

Here, for the record, is Prime Minister Helen Clark's letter to the New Zealand newspaper reporting that she said that New Zealand is cutting its links to ANZUS: Dear Sir I am utterly bemused by Seth Robson's report in Monday's Press with respect to New Zealand's relationship to ANZUS. The headline proclaims: "PM cuts links to ANZUS". I have done no such thing. What I pointed out to your reporter was that New Zealand has not been an operational member of ANZUS for many years because of the difference of opinion with the United States over nuclear ships. In response to Mr Robson's assertions about the United States' obligations to New Zealand's defence under ANZUS, I pointed out that the obligation was to consult in the event that there was a threat. My remarks have been grossly distorted by this report. Yours faithfully Helen Clark Prime Minister

[Kiwigal]

Ooops, the result of not reading this page all weekend is that there was an awful lot to read now! I would like to put the NZ/US political climate into perspective. The US does not really have a major left-wing party. The Democrats would be somewhere on the centre right of the NZ political spectrum. Hence, NZ lefties will never like the US no matter what.

As for indifference in NZ, I think that if that is the impression conveyed by our media then it is sorely mistaken. At least, if the noise on Parliament lawn last week was anything to go by. The "give peace a chance" marchers managed to make a minor disturbance in my day, and they obviously had something to protest about: that the majority in this country is behind the decision to support the US in a war against terrorism. That indicates that our attitude is not indifference but action. And for Helen Clark to have got so far along the "action" line is truly remarkable. Of course, I think that assertions such as these have been pretty much done to death by the NZers on this site.

I thought I would also comment in support of the US, which seems to be getting slated for its human rights history. You are right, NZ does not have a particularly rosy history on all of this. There is about a century of stuff we would rather forget (which, considering we've only been a nation for only a little longer than that is something to be a little ashamed of). We are working to put that right now. If I remember my 2nd or 3rd form (7th or 8th grade) history correctly, NZ gave women the vote in 1893. It was the first country to do so. However, there was at least one, possibly more, US states that gave women the vote before that. And I think the worst display of political ignorance I have ever come across was not from an American but from Canadians. I made a comment once to a Canadian about apartheid. "What's that?".

Finally, while I enjoy reading informed political debate, the constant attacks on Damian5 and others, and their various sexual preferences/capabilities, are rather tiring!!

Well, that's my ramble for the day, time to do some real work.