Comments on: RadioNZ’s coffee must be ‘absirdly’ good http://blog.greens.org.nz/2009/10/05/radionzs-coffee-must-be-absirdly-good/ hopping along the corridors of power Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:44:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Valis http://blog.greens.org.nz/2009/10/05/radionzs-coffee-must-be-absirdly-good/#comment-92960 Valis Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:48:51 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/?p=6747#comment-92960 <blockquote>That Stanley A. McChrystal’s an impressive chap</blockquote> He hasn't impressed everyone in quite the right way though. http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20091006_gen_mcchrystals_celebrity_weekend/
That Stanley A. McChrystal’s an impressive chap

He hasn’t impressed everyone in quite the right way though.

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20091006_gen_mcchrystals_celebrity_weekend/

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]]> By: bjchip http://blog.greens.org.nz/2009/10/05/radionzs-coffee-must-be-absirdly-good/#comment-92762 bjchip Mon, 05 Oct 2009 02:23:16 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/?p=6747#comment-92762 I tend to be fairly neutral, and policy gives little guidance as Afghanistan is a rod fashioned for our own backs through the UN itself. So not really easy to just back out. We've done a lot to give some people there hope. Women going to school and a variety of other more progressive things. The Taleban WILL take those things away. As pointed out, they are batshit crazy. Optimum solution? IMHO it would be to give 'em back the country in exchange for Osama-Bin-Forgotten and his brood. Make it clear what is about to happen and help as many potential victims of the crazies get out of Dodge. Which doesn't speak volumes about what New Zealand itself should do. None of that is up to us. Publicly stating this as a preference might however, reduce the active-targeting of our people. Not that I expect the Taleban reads or believes anything we say, but it's a chance and it seems to me to be the "right" path out... the wrong path was taken to get in of course, but that's another problem not of our making. Simply withdrawing isn't part of the option set for the major players at this point. What we do is probably dependent on other considerations, not what is right or wrong... but pulling out IS an option for us. Justifying it internationally would be ... delicate. respectfully BJ

I tend to be fairly neutral, and policy gives little guidance as Afghanistan is a rod fashioned for our own backs through the UN itself. So not really easy to just back out.

We’ve done a lot to give some people there hope. Women going to school and a variety of other more progressive things. The Taleban WILL take those things away. As pointed out, they are batshit crazy.

Optimum solution? IMHO it would be to give ‘em back the country in exchange for Osama-Bin-Forgotten and his brood. Make it clear what is about to happen and help as many potential victims of the crazies get out of Dodge.

Which doesn’t speak volumes about what New Zealand itself should do. None of that is up to us.

Publicly stating this as a preference might however, reduce the active-targeting of our people.

Not that I expect the Taleban reads or believes anything we say, but it’s a chance and it seems to me to be the “right” path out… the wrong path was taken to get in of course, but that’s another problem not of our making.

Simply withdrawing isn’t part of the option set for the major players at this point. What we do is probably dependent on other considerations, not what is right or wrong… but pulling out IS an option for us. Justifying it internationally would be … delicate.

respectfully
BJ

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]]> By: Valis http://blog.greens.org.nz/2009/10/05/radionzs-coffee-must-be-absirdly-good/#comment-92759 Valis Mon, 05 Oct 2009 01:57:11 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/?p=6747#comment-92759 <i>My guess is that green party policy is based on the assumption that international capitalism is causing resource depletion and the need to prop up unjust regimes in the middle east and this is the fuel that fires the Islamic extremists? </i> Correct except that its not an assumption. Not that the extremists wouldn't be there anyway; they are batshit crazy like any extremists and more dangerous than many. But pouring fuel on an incendiary group and expecting them not to go off has to be a stupid strategy in anyone's book. As for what to do in Afghanistan, since we can only make things worse, we should get out instead.
My guess is that green party policy is based on the assumption that international capitalism is causing resource depletion and the need to prop up unjust regimes in the middle east and this is the fuel that fires the Islamic extremists?

Correct except that its not an assumption. Not that the extremists wouldn’t be there anyway; they are batshit crazy like any extremists and more dangerous than many. But pouring fuel on an incendiary group and expecting them not to go off has to be a stupid strategy in anyone’s book.

As for what to do in Afghanistan, since we can only make things worse, we should get out instead.

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]]> By: Scott http://blog.greens.org.nz/2009/10/05/radionzs-coffee-must-be-absirdly-good/#comment-92739 Scott Sun, 04 Oct 2009 21:29:59 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/?p=6747#comment-92739 We should harden up and get out of Afghanistan. We should realise that we are just American pawns and as such we are assisting them in their policy of self interest. We are in an environment that seems not to be able to spot the Elephant in the room. No one batted an eye lid when the US entered Somalia without invitation and took out some people that were supposedly terrorists. We'll never know will we.
We should harden up and get out of Afghanistan. We should realise that we are just American pawns and as such we are assisting them in their policy of self interest. We are in an environment that seems not to be able to spot the Elephant in the room. No one batted an eye lid when the US entered Somalia without invitation and took out some people that were supposedly terrorists. We’ll never know will we.

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]]> By: jh http://blog.greens.org.nz/2009/10/05/radionzs-coffee-must-be-absirdly-good/#comment-92737 jh Sun, 04 Oct 2009 21:15:43 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/?p=6747#comment-92737 That Stanley A. McChrystal's an impressive chap http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_A._McChrystal

That Stanley A. McChrystal’s an impressive chap

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_A._McChrystal

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]]> By: jh http://blog.greens.org.nz/2009/10/05/radionzs-coffee-must-be-absirdly-good/#comment-92736 jh Sun, 04 Oct 2009 21:10:41 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/?p=6747#comment-92736 Where is your assessment of what should be done in Afganistan? At present their is a risk that the taliban will return and provide a safehaven for Islamic extremists. My guess is that green party policy is based on the assumption that international capitalism is causing resource depletion and the need to prop up unjust regimes in the middle east and this is the fuel that fires the Islamic extremists?

Where is your assessment of what should be done in Afganistan?
At present their is a risk that the taliban will return and provide a safehaven for Islamic extremists.
My guess is that green party policy is based on the assumption that international capitalism is causing resource depletion and the need to prop up unjust regimes in the middle east and this is the fuel that fires the Islamic extremists?

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