Editorial: US diplomats need to get out more

OPINION: Now we know. United States diplomats in Wellington live for gossip and devote inordinate amounts of time to strategising. One other thing emerges from the diplomatic cables published by WikiLeaks. Embassy staff need to get out more often.

The cables sent from Wellington to Washington offer a remarkably narrow view of this country. If the embassy is to be believed, gangs of pickpockets roam the streets waiting to prey on unsuspecting American visitors, New Zealand is "depressive", our politicians are particularly devious and untrustworthy and the population can be divided neatly into two categories.

One – the first worlders – is composed of military, intelligence, foreign affairs and business professionals and a few politicians. The second – the other worlders – contains most politicians, the media, academics and much of the public. The first group is rational, recognises that New Zealand is too small to influence events on its own, but is keen for the country to do its share internationally. The second views the US as a source of global corruption and instability, is suspicious of US motives, and naively believes New Zealand's isolation will protect it from harm. For former US ambassador Charles Swindells, it was personified by former disarmament and non-proliferation minister Marian Hobbs. Ms Hobbs, a minor figure in the Clark government who earned the nickname "Boo Boo", will be delighted to learn she figured so prominently in his thinking.

The vast majority of people will wonder where they fit in the embassy's scheme of things. Where does it put the New Zealanders who are grateful for the contribution the US makes to global stability, share US values, admire its vitality, wear American clothes, watch American movies and listen to American music but think small countries should choose which military operations they contribute to and should be able to take a principled stand against nuclear weapons, even if it inconveniences a friend?New Zealand cannot be the easiest posting for a US diplomat. In addition to having to run the gauntlet of pickpockets every time they step outside the Thorndon embassy, staff suffer the continual frustration of banging their heads against the brick wall that is the anti-nuclear policy. Enormous amounts of time are fruitlessly devoted to trying to persuade politicians to change the policy and almost as much time to urging Washington to stay staunch and not leave the embassy exposed.

However, the embassy's peevish, simplistic, stereotypical portrayal of New Zealand does neither this country nor the US any favours.

Its staff should venture beyond the cocktail circuit where they will discover the majority of New Zealanders are incredibly well disposed towards Americans, proud of their country, delighted to show it off to visitors and do not blame individual Americans for heavy-handed US government attempts to persuade them to change their minds.

If they're particularly concerned for their wallets, they could always tuck them in an inside pocket.

- © Fairfax NZ News