Posts by Kyle Matthews
Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First
-
Finest guitar solo ever, until perhaps Dr Hooks' Cover of the Rolling Stone...
I was going to say "dems fighting words", but then the guy walked out with the mask on. And belched near the end. I pre-concede. Pure class.
-
Those sanctions were eventually fine-tuned so that oil revenue could be used to buy medicines etc. As we know Saddam pocketed the money (going on a palace building spree), the Iraqis suffered and that suffering was used as anti-US propaganda. While Saddam was in control that wasn't going to change.
You forgot to mention that companies that were buying the oil from Iraq at as a bribe, and onselling it and making a good profit, which the UN was implicated in.
And that investigations found that much of the food in the programme was unfit for human consumption, and many non-standard products, including medicines etc, took up to six months to get into Iraq.
The sanctions to which Iraq was subjected, were simply designed to bring the country to its knees. Half a million people died during the period between the two wars, as a result of the sanctions, and the end result was to strengthen the hand of Saddam Hussein by making foreign powers the bad guys.
Anyway, I look forward to the US invading Cuba, on the basis that containment is a flawed policy, and war makes things better. How long as Cuba been embargoed for now?
-
Stevenson was a classic definition of someone fronting up to have his ass kicked. Both sides wanted Eisenhower, whoever got him was basically guaranteed to win, the guy was a massive war hero. Adlai was a smart guy, and might have done OK against anyone else, but he took him on, took the hit, and that was the end of him.
-
I have to wonder what ACT was thinking with Roger Douglas. For them to have enough swing to get two cabinet ministers with national, they're going to have to pull 5%ish, which isn't looking likely. They're also going to have to hope national get the other 45%, because I can't imagine Dunne or Peters will go into a government with ACT.
Maybe I don't understand the far right 5% of voters. I'm sure that maybe 1 or 2% would be jumping down excited with the thought of all our health service being run as private enterprises, but I can't imagine it's going to turn on 5% of the population. I suspect bringing Roger back in is going to solidify their tiny base, but keep it tiny.
-
But what would be the effect of a boycott? Would the leadership recognise the error of its ways, or just seek vengeance?
I don't know if I'd argue for a boycott of the Olympics. But Mandela has spoken positively about the impact of sports boycotts on his country's struggle. Whether it would have an impact in China, who knows.
-
If that were the case, then surely we wouldn't still be trading with the USA.
Well I don't support what the USA is doing/not doing in various parts of the world.
But America diving into the Middle East and getting involved in/helping cause a civil war and thousands of deaths is a different than a government killing thousands of its citizens in political repression.
In one, civilians are bystanders/collateral damage. In the other, they're the targets.
-
I was commenting solely on the way Locke worded his question - to imply that at a certain number of people tortured, Cullen would say "oh right, that 100th one really put the nail in that trade agreement. was happy with 99 though".
Actually, I'd hope that there is a point at which we'd stop trading with a country because of their human rights record. If, for example, China was killing thousands of people each year, would we still trade with them? Hundreds of thousands? Clearly at some point a moral stand kicks in.
-
We had a group inspection one time for some bloody event, he was going along the line inspecting everyone's woggles, scarfs, hats, etc.
OMG woggles. More men should wear woggles.
-
But when he asks "what's the number of torture and illegal imprisonment cases before we stop the free trade deal", then that's insulting. It's clearly the case that no Govt or sane human being links them, yet here he is implying that Cullen is happy with one or two torture cases, but would draw the line at 10. Insulting.
No government or sane human being links torture and illegal imprisonment with free trade?
Umm, I think quite a lot of human beings link free trade and human rights. As have governments, frequently. And still do.
-
I just think they both came across as insulting a$$holes (yes yes all politicians etc etc) and surprised at how 100% of the focus has been on Cullen's retort.
Wait, Locke uses question time to draw attention to human rights issues in China, which is a bit of an issue right now.
Cullen plays game by saying personal stuff about Locke, which he knows he's going to have to withdraw, and avoids the issue of our engagement with China.
I know who I thought came out of it looking more like an asshole.
Maybe if politicians treated the debating chamber less like a sandpit, they'd get better questions.