New Zealand Greens see red over missile plan

[pinto]

January 18, 2004 - 5:05PM

A proposed joint Australia-United States military training facility across the Tasman could lead to a downgrade of New Zealand's defence relationship with its neighbour, the Green Party warns.

New Zealand "should be upfront that we don't look kindly on US bases being established there", Greens foreign affairs spokesman Keith Locke said.

Mr Locke was commenting on a proposal announced on Friday that the Australian and United States government were looking to further deepen military ties through a joint military training facility in Australia.

<snip>

The more Australia integrated its armed forces with America, the more difficult it would be for New Zealand, "because our focus is on peacekeeping, not participating in US military adventures.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/01/18/1074360626576.html

[Mikimouse]

1. Good for NZ! I am not terribly surprised...

though about the Australian government wanting to do this. It seems to me that Howard is in *'s pocket, just like Blair.

[anakie]

2. of course he is

in some circles over here he (Howard) is called Bonzai; ie a little Bush

[anakie]

3. US plan to pre position arms

THE US is likely to use the joint military training facility it wants to set up in northern Australia as a staging post, which would house equipment, including tanks and aircraft.

In its global reassessment of its use of forces, the US has developed a places, not bases, doctrine under which it stores large amounts of equipment - tanks, aircraft as well as fuel and ammunition - around the world to allow the rapid deployment of troops into theatres of war.

In an interview with The Australian, the US's highest-ranking soldier, visiting Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Richard Myers, said there was no proposal to station troops permanently in Australia.

However, General Myers said training was "an expensive proposition and if there are things that help you in training that would be better pre-positioned it might be something you'd look at".


more

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,8428990%255E2702,00.html

The claytons option : the military base you have when you are not having a military base. And our lap dog PM once again kisses GWB's arse.

[rooboy]

5. Give it about 12 months...

and Aussies will no longer be able to travel with any safety at all in SE Asia. We need to get rid of Howard NOW.

[rooboy]

4. It was a weird thing...

Richard Myers flew into Australia last week to meet with the Prime Minister (aka 'The Rodent'). He said the visit was not to discuss missile defence, and they only had 'embryonic' discussions about a joint Australian/US training facility. Neither the Rodent or Myers would answer questions about what this facility would be for.

Now, WHY would the chairman of the Joint Chiefs fly to Australia just to have an 'embryonic discussion'???

Something very odd going on here.

[Matilda]

6. Howard's Last Stand?

He hasn't got anything else going for him coming in to his last
election, except to keep the people scared, and paint himself as
the saviour of the country.

I haven't seen any comment yet from Mark Latham - I hope he won't
buy into it.

[Yerta Bulti]

7. usual Howard wedge tactic

This all seems designed to push Latham's "anti US" buttons as we go into an election year (in Australia). It will also likely create division in the Labor party as the left screeches with indignation at the thought of US bases in Australia, which is bound to stir up reaction from the Paddie McGuinness's and Gerard Hendersons of the media. Meanwhile the Labor right might go into the kind of "poll paralysis" it has only just appeared to escape with the election of Latham.

The thing is, the threats to Australia in SE Asia, such as they are, are not of the large military / missile kind at all - they are of the Bali bomb / kidnapping kind. Putting Australian $$ into missile defence is a waste of our resources, funding dysfunctional technology to address a threat that is already addressed by 1960's MAD. Consolidating US forces in SE Asia on Australian territory will only win more converts to the Mahathir / Jemaah Islamiah view of Australia. So the result of such a course of action will only exacerbate the threat that does exist while pretending to protect against a threat that does not.

Of course, the more that Australians feel insecure in SE Asia, the better for the apparently "tough on national security" Liberal Party.

Latham needs to address this issue very carefully to successfully spell out a course which serves our interests in the US and Asia. He should be comprehensive with his policy approach, not have a tit for tat sound bite feud with the PM. Let John Howard be the one winning converts for J.I. while trying to score political points.

[interupt]

8. Mark needs to distract Tony "Character Assassin" Abbott first

The Liberals (Australian conservatives) are very good at dividing opinion and framing the issue. Its not popular with the electorate but Howard is legendary for diverting attention then unleashing Abbott onto Labour.

Abbott is such a smug prick.

[Matilda]

9. You are so right - and the sooner Latham sets out his policy

the better. It has to be clear and detailed and where he diverges
from Howard (as I trust he will), he has to be prepared to defend
his thinking with logic that everyone can follow.

It's a tough call - there are plenty of people here who think we
should pull up the drawbridge and put our shields over our heads.
But there are also many who believed Howard's lies and supported the
attack on Iraq who can now see that becoming more and more paranoid
isn't really making us safer - quite the reverse in fact. I think
there is a slowly growing sense of unease about Howard's treatment
of the boat people - I don't think most Australians really get off
on the idea of maltreating children. So Latham needs to balance
security with humanity, of which Howard has none, and maybe he'll
be on to a winner. If he can push the kinder, more caring, image
which he has already hinted at, what could be more of a contrast to
Howard?

[foreigncorrespondent]

10. Well the ALP...

...is against the Star Wars junior plan, so hopefully they won't stand for this crap either.

[interupt]

11. I am optimistic

I have seen a definite shift from the ALP in the Latham leadership from both the Beazley and the Crean camp that will put this election right up there. Policies have started to come out now, rather than when parliment resits in Feb. You can literally see it on TV when the ALP make an announcement that the Libs are literally scrambling to rebutt and make a soundbite.

The Queensland state election has inadvertantly refocussed us on politics in an election year, with the ALP going to crush the conservatives even with a swing against it. We will hope that the Premier will temper local issues with a Latham platform