Timing is everything. Why was US Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, in Australia and New Zealand this week? Why did she use the term "ally" (NBR) about our country when the US has not used this term for 20 years?
Placed in a wider context, mindful of the US and Israel's apparent build up to some sort of conflict with Iran in a window opening in the next weeks and running through the rest of Bush's term, it may be that Rice was sounding out our government about where New Zealand might stand should the US and / or Israel initiate a conflict with Iran in the near future.
"The talks with Miss Clark had been a "very strategic discussion about the global challenges", including the Middle East and nuclear proliferation, she said.It's all very vague and one can't hope for anything more than vagueries, but in the wider context of US threats against Iran and the meeting with the Iranians in Europe last week, the use of the term "ally" may be more laden with meaning than might otherwise be the case. Sure, it may represent more an invitation than a reality. I can't see Helen Clark and Labour aligning themselves with the Bush Administration at this late stage.
New Zealand's defence role in Afghanistan and its leadership in the Pacific were both highlighted as being important to America by Dr Rice.
When asked when joint military exercises would resume between the countries, a question asked earlier during her press conference with Mr Peters, Dr Rice again side-stepped the issue.
"New Zealand is certainly seen as a friend and an ally."
Maybe all they wanted was support for further sanctions against Iran....based on the unproven claims by the US and Israel that Iran has a nuclear weapons program.
You know.....the "WMD" thing. We've been there before. The US under Bush can't be trusted. The record makes that more than very clear.
Why "ally"?
ReplyDeleteOf course, it may just be part of the general, if partial, move towards multilateralism that some people have detected in the Bush administration, and the increasing realisation on the Yanks' part that we could be of use in counteracting Chinese and other influence in the Pacific.
jp: Maybe. The record so far says Bush is quite utilitarian with respect to "allies".
ReplyDeleteAs for China, they own the US right now. They host a large proportion of the manufacturing capacity of virtually every major US corporate that makes anything, not to mention the US$1.8 TRILLION in they hold in US dollar currency.....compared to the US$80 billion the US holds on any given day. The Americans may bluster about China, but they already know they are powerless with respect to China.