@Tom C #90

Two quick points: 1) many in current crop of American government are communists, marxists, statist (pick your 'ist' of choice): check out NewZeal.blogspot.com for documented ties. Many of these were voted out last 2-Nov in midterms... but USA has lots of clean up to do.

2) "openly denying Global Warming, it seems to me you haven’t been keeping up to date since the 90s". Wow, OK many in NZ think AGW has been "proven" when it has not and is a complete fraud. There hasn't been any proven or statistical "global warming" due to anything man has done. AGW is only THEORY and has NOT been proved. Do you understand? See more info on your own NZ site climateconversation.wordshine.co.nz or try wattsupwiththat.com. NZ sheepishly follows what the UN wants... and the UN just wants your $$$$!

Lisa G in NZ, I certainly agree with you on not making generalizations about the American people, and not extending the Us govt,s capitalist corruptions to them. However everything else that you say is full of contradictions. You seeming back a nation who is almost part of the definition of globalization, but you seemingly distrust the, as you say, "globalists". Furthermore, after telling NZ to get educated, you call the American government "cummunist wannabees"?. From the limited knowledge I have of the true inner workings of the US govt, I would conclude that they are close to the polar opposite (please prove me wrong). Lastly, openly denying Global Warming, it seems to me you haven’t been keeping up to date since the 90s. And if you feel that the most important thing is the NZ economy over the environment, you need to reshuffle your priorities.

Ön the article, I think that you need to give some to get some. It sounds less like Cark bowing to send troops to Iraq and more like she make a political compromise for the bettering of the NZ economy and perhaps building future alliances.

The self-appointed World Police (aka America) don't deserve our attention - we have plenty of other allies. Let's just leave the cloak and dagger side of things to those that seek to embrace world power. Go home US, your presence in NZ is so irrelevant, most here are tired of your loud-mouths.

I wonder how many of the comments here have a U.S. embassy IP number attached to them?

Hmmm lots of ignorance out there. China is no longer a communist country, it's the communist party that is so desperate to hold onto power that it turns it's own military against its own people. Democracy = one person - one vote. In our country we have one person - two votes, so ours must be super democracy. Also one has a reasonable expectation that the government implements the policies that it was elected on. Seems like the current government have done a pretty good job of doing that. The US isn't perfect and has done lots of shitty things over the years but there are not a lot of countries with a squeaky clean slate. Who would you rather have in the Pacific, the US or China? At least the yanks supplied us with aircraft for modernising our Air Force in WW2 in a generous lend-lease programme. One the war was over we had the option of keeping the aircraft or melting them down and sending the scrap value to the US as payment and we took the later option. US Marines trained in NZ and fought in the Guadalcanal campaign, in defence of NZ. A NZ that was next to be invaded and then to be used as a springboard to invade Australia. The Japanese had maps and Japanese currency for the NZ occupation all prepared. Are we seeing a replay of the build up to WW2 but this time it's China instead of Japan planning to sweep through the Pacific? Maybe, maybe not but I'd rather have a US presence than not thanks. Don't demonise a country or its people because of the actions of its government.

"Of course we go there for butter. How do you think the world works?

We would be third world country if it was not for our farming industry. A lot more people would die here in NZ if we did not get income from diary. Money coming into the country would reduce. People would be out of jobs. The tax take would be less. People would die from greater cuts in health services. It is as simple as that. "

Oh really now! Are we "dying in the streets" through our lack of slaveholding? Or of selling our women overseas as sex slaves?

Please! There is no doubt a large part of our economy comes from taking milk from Cows, who we've treated as our "things", regulated their menstrual cycles, forcibly impregnated, and "induced", to get rid of that nasty child!

Cows are mammals, as are we, they need to be pregnant to produce breast milk, for their children.

We shouldnt be harming and killing animals. Dairy is currently profitable, if that holds up or not, think of the losses to those who kill Sheep, it is still unethical and horrid to the extreme.

Its as easy to be Vegan as not, and its the *least* others deserve. I know I love my Chicken Friends! :-) VIDEO

http://coexistingwithnonhumananimals.blogspot.com/2010/12/birdman-of-invercargill.html

A great website for Veganism is http://www.abolitionistapproach.com/

I hope you'll try these shows too, many from New Zealand

http://coexistingwithnonhumananimals.blogspot.com/2010/07/vegan-info.html

Jordan Wyatt Invercargill Vegan Society

@Isabel Witty #77 well lets see why so many (Im one) would happily spit on the USA or anything representing it. Shall we start with Iraq and the illegal war waged against it by the USA under (braindead) G W Bush and fellow war criminals. Or maybe we can look at how the USA has supported and indeed participated in the use of methods of torture banned by the UN to further its own ends all the time proclaiming to be waging a war against terror whilst using exactly the same methods as those its condemning.

Funnily enough I have quite a few American friends but find the mentality behind its (talking about the political manifestation here) actions towards any other nation that dares to have differing views from it to be simply hypocrisy on a scale that beggars belief.

To end, when the USA acts according to the ideals expressed its own constitution towards all in the world and not simply to the chosen few then Ill stop loathing the country's actions and policies.

Sam #65 - it shows democracy doesn't work, because democracy means every adult citizen gets a vote. This means you have to pander to the mob in order to get elected, as very few people actually bother to find out how politics works or how to get involved and make a difference.

The alternative? No system has actually been proven to work, and never will. As the Bible says "the love of money is the root of all evil" (and in this case the love of money was deemed worth supporting an unjust war and risking the lives of kiwis). All government systems fail ultimately because of greed and self-interest.

However, if citizens actually realised that they are responsible for those they put in power then we might hold or politicians to account a bit more. "terrorists" target the public, because in a democracy the public must be responsible for the actions of their politicians. if you want to make the world a more peaceful place, then demand our government does exactly that. If they won't listen then throw them out and get someone who will.

derrenmac #36

I am more inclined to agree with you than you may have gathered from my statements. I was trying to illustrate that as long as money is the priority there can be no true democracy - no matter what "good intentions" politician proclaim. That being said, I do try to see both sides of an argument rather than take an isolating extremist view.

@nicules #61 -

NZ soldiers were deployed as part of the British Army task force. As all soldiers are typically 'brothers-in-arms' there are bonds and friendships formed during deployment. I, myself, participated in the first Gulf War and regularly communicate with many firends that I made during that time.

'Name me one NZ soldier killed.....' You should hang your head in shame.