Clark apologises to US for war comments (New Zealand screws up again)

New Zealand Press Association ^ | April 6, 2003

[Timesink]

Clark apologises to US for war comments

SUNDAY, 06 APRIL 2003

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark has apologised to the United States for comments she has made relating to the war on Iraq.

Miss Clark yesterday declined to speak on the issue, but a spokesman told NZPA an apology had been made to the US on her behalf by John Wood, New Zealand's ambassador to Washington.

"The PM says certainly no offence was intended by the comments she made, but thinks it's important now to apologise for what the US took as an offence, and then move the relationship forward from there," the spokesman said.

Miss Clark came under fire last week when she suggested the war in Iraq might not have happened if Democratic nominee Al Gore had won the US Presidency instead of George W Bush.

She was criticised again this week after commenting the invasion of Iraq by US and British-led forces did not appear to be going to plan.

[Timesink]

No, but I found one more browser where the page is showing up normally. Weird. Oh well, if nobody else is seeing it, it's fine with me.

[DeFault User]

New Zealand? Isn't that the country that sold its air force for scrap?

[yonif]

recall our ambassador.

[WaterDragon]

It's interesting to watch the Socialist death-culters praise Saddam, condemn the Coalition for destroying his regime. Haven't they always supported leaders who regularly torture and kill their citizens -- like Stalin?

The American Democratic party has chosen to morph into a European Socialist death-cult party. What they acquiesced to in Iraq (killing citizens, political repression, etc) they would create in America as well.

[Brian Allen]

<< New Zealand? Isn't that the country that sold its air force for scrap? >>

That's the one.

Couldn't shake off enough of the really bad Limey habits it retains as the legacy of its British Colonial heritage.

Elected, while, Canada-style, driving away its best and brightest [Who are now all called either Australians or Americans!] -- and replacing them with disgruntled, fifth rate, ne'er do well migrants -- to be a failed satellite socialist outpost of the failed [British] empire, rather than to pursue the joys, liberties and FReedoms of FRee Enterprise.

Good place to be FRom!

[UCFRoadWarrior]

If Al Gore was President....we would have had more terrorist attacks similar to 9/11

I always beleived the 9/11 attack was done because the terrorists thought that the Legacy of Weakness under Bill Clinton would continue w GWB. They were badly mistaken

As more discoveries of Saddam's torture chambers and chemical plans become uncovered...the more liberals throughout the world are discredited....even by their own in the media

[Travis McGee]

"New Zealand?"

Where is that in relation to Lilliput? Is it a Grand Duchy?

[2penguins]

Here's an interesting little tidbit about PM Helen Clark.

New Zealand premier 'faked' painting
A New Zealand charity has criticised Prime Minister Helen Clark after she admitted putting her signature on a painting she never painted.
Ms Clark gave the abstract, blue and purple painting to animal welfare group Save Animals from Exploitation (SAFE), for it to auction for charity.

But now New Zealand's Sunday Star-Times newspaper has reported that Ms Clark's office commissioned a professional artist for the work, which Ms Clark then signed.
She told the newspaper she was only trying to be helpful.
"We thought it was a good cause and something was put in," she said.
She said she allowed the painting to be done by someone else because of "time pressures".

"It was election year, I was the leader of the opposition and I was as busy as a one-armed wallpaper hanger," she told the Sunday Star-Times.

But now New Zealand's Sunday Star-Times newspaper has reported that Ms Clark's office commissioned a professional artist for the work, which Ms Clark then signed.

She told the newspaper she was only trying to be helpful.
"We thought it was a good cause and something was put in," she said.

She said she allowed the painting to be done by someone else because of "time pressures".

"It was election year, I was the leader of the opposition and I was as busy as a one-armed wallpaper hanger," she told the Sunday Star-Times.

But now New Zealand's Sunday Star-Times newspaper has reported that Ms Clark's office commissioned a professional artist for the work, which Ms Clark then signed.

She told the newspaper she was only trying to be helpful.
"We thought it was a good cause and something was put in," she said.

She said she allowed the painting to be done by someone else because of "time pressures".

"It was election year, I was the leader of the opposition and I was as busy as a one-armed wallpaper hanger," she told the Sunday Star-Times.

'Joke'

Not everybody is so relaxed about the issue.

Auckland businessman Henry van Dijk - who paid NZ$1,000 (US$420) for the the fake prime ministerial work at the auction - said he was appalled.

"She never should have signed that painting if she didn't do it," he said.

"The painting is a joke. If it's not by her it's not worth $2 now," he said.

Ms Clark, who is also Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage, has said she had offered to reimburse Mr Van Dijk his money.

Story from BBC.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/1930804.stm

[Ditter]

She is speaking for so few, who cares?

[mtbopfuyn]

Shows her true colors. She has others issue apologies and paint charity pictures in her name. Heck, Trading Spaces can slap some paint on a canvas in 15 minutes. Hope that painting cost her more than the auction price, but the tax payers probably got to pay the commission.

[MarylandPines]

This is coming from the leader of the only nation on earth to ban David Hamilton's art.

[FreeReign]

She was criticised again this week after commenting the invasion of Iraq by US and British-led forces did not appear to be going to plan.

Well a few days have now passed since have made this comment, and guess what -- your comment like others who have made similar comments, looks idiotic.

[geedee]

True. Gore would be too busy negotiating with the Taliban to extradite OBL.

LOL. Many say Israelis are God's Chosen People. This is based on theology and belief. But we have PROOF that Americans are in fact the Chosen Ones . . . GW is President, Gore ain't.

[shaggy eel]

US refuses to return NZ apology

07 April 2003 www.stuff.co.nz

By RUTH BERRY

Prime Minister Helen Clark may have apologised to the Bush administration, but the United States embassy in Wellington is refusing to reciprocate.

Miss Clark has apologised through New Zealand's ambassador in Washington, for any offence caused by her comments about the Bush regime and the war.

But she said the US embassy in Wellington was out of line for issuing a public rebuke without first seeking to clarify them and without advising the Government.

The embassy had said Miss Clark's comments that the war would not have happened had Democrat candidate Al Gore won the last US presidential election were "regrettable".

Her comments that the invasion of Iraq by US and British-led forces did not appear to be going to plan, also sparked concerns.

Senior Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry and US embassy officials met to discuss and "clarify" the diplomatic row and have agreed on a "communications protocol".

A spokeswoman for the US embassy would not discuss that protocol, but said: "While we have only seen media reports of what the Prime Minister said, we feel the embassy's comment was appropriate and not out of line. We also have no further comment to make on the subject." A spokesman for Miss Clark denied the embassy's statement meant there was a stand-off.

"There's no rift. If stand-off means they are not talking to each other, there is no stand-off. As far as Helen is concerned the matter has been dealt with," the spokesman said.

"The PM says certainly no offence was intended by the comments she made, but . . . it's important now to apologise for what the US took as an offence, and then move the relationship forward from there."

National Party leader Bill English said Miss Clark should now apologise to Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

Miss Clark got a ticking off from The Australian newspaper last week for saying "this Government does not trade the lives of young New Zealanders for a war it does not believe in in order to secure some material advantage".

But Miss Clark's spokesman said Mr English's suggestion was "absolute rubbish". Miss Clark had written to The Australian explaining that the comments were not directed at Australia but at critics who saw her stance on the war as lessening New Zealand's chance of getting a free-trade deal with the US.

[cynicom]

Someone in Zooland put her in office. Therefore, they are not with us, I hope they understand what that means.

When the Chinese come calling, she better hope the US has a president like Bush, nor Clinton or gore.

[Kevin Curry]

Miss Clark has apologised through New Zealand's ambassador in Washington, for any offence caused by her comments about the Bush regime and the war.

Bush regime?

[deJaz]

It's easy to say you forgive but harder to forget

[shaggy eel]

,,, everyone has to have a regime! [LOL]

Here's an extract from NATIONAL* leader [Bill English]'s April 4 2003 eMAIL newsletter...

Regrettable Damage to long-term interests

Arab newspapers ran Helen Clark’s comment that the Iraq War would not have happened if Al Gore were US President as pro-Saddam propaganda this week. Her diplomatic gaffe led the US to ask for a please-explain from the New Zealand embassy in Washington and the administration has described her comments as “regrettable.” Clark has yet to express any regret. What may be more worrying is the Australian reaction to New Zealand, which is why I sent my Foreign Affairs spokesman, Dr Wayne Mapp, to Canberra recently. He tells me there is growing anger across the Tasman about Clark undermining Australia’s stance. She would have done better to take Canadian Prime Minister Chretien’s advice that “we should not say anything that would give Saddam Hussein comfort at this time.” No matter what her views, there was no need to alienate traditional friends and allies. New Zealand’s long-term interests lie with countries like the US, Australia and the UK, not lining up against them.

*NATIONAL is New Zealand's largest centre right political Party.

[Brian Allen]

<< .... KKKlark has "apologised" through New Zealand's ambassador in Washington, for any offence caused by her comments about "the Bush regime" and the war.

Bush regime? >>

You got it.

Such charter members of the room-temperature verbal-IQ brigades as the KKKli'tonesque clown, KKKlark, confuse their amateur wordsmith skills with intelligence -- and never fail to outsmart only themselves.

While telling the rest of US what they really believe.

[shaggy eel]

The Right Side of History

The momentous events in Iraq have been dominating the news recently but I have been refraining from commenting given my lack of expertise in military matters. However the issue has been a hot one in the New Zealand parliament because the Prime Minister hasn't treated her lack of expertise as any impediment to becoming an Armchair General. So it was that General Clark faced a barrage of searching questions on her handling of our relations with the USA. ACT, New Zealand First and National fired as a single opposition against El Jefe Clark as she ducked and weaved around the issue of her apology.

Throughout the Iraqi war I have been surprised at the degree of hostility expressed toward the USA by left wing and nationalist politicians over the world. New Zealand has had the same debate, although very little of it has been in parliament. The celebrations on the streets of Baghdad at Saddam Hussein's fall underline the irony. Although couched in humanitarian terms the arguements tend to be anti-American. Any military reverses by the US or British troops were cheered as immensely significant such as when our Prime Minister commented that the US plan was faulty. When challenged the next day she said it was "bleedingly [sic] obvious".

I have long puzzled over the degree of anti-Americanism on the left wing of politics generally and of New Zealand in particular. I got some insight into this when I attended a lecture last year by Dr Francis Fukuyama. Dr Fukuyama is the author of the bestseller, "The End of History", which tackles the Marxist interpretation of history. Marxist history has been very influential and it predicts that societies develop in stages through tribal, feudal, capitalist and, finally, socialist stages. There is a revolution between each stage. Those that oppose the progress may win isolated victories but face eventual defeat as they are on "the wrong side of history". Fukuyama suggests instead that if there is a direction to history then it points towards liberal democracy. In other words Marx got it completely wrong.

For a long time the Marxist interpretation was unchallenged and was accepted by people who weren't Marxists. The theory predicted that the USA's attempts at anti-communist activity were doomed to failure and for a while things seemed to be going that way. The idea of an activist America was a complete anathema but as we look towards a non-communist future we need to get used to it.

So does the Prime Minister.

... Heather Roy, ACT New Zealand