KEY POINTS:
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has said that Iraq would slide into total chaos if the United States withdrew at present - a conclusion that Prime Minister Helen Clark has carefully avoided making publicly.
Our political bureau says that Helen Clark might privately agree that it would be disastrous for the United States to withdraw now, but to say so would imply a support of the United States being there at all.
>> Read the story
This forum is now closed. Here is a selection of your views:
Frances
Considering we have no troops in Iraq, for Winston to sit with the foreign minister of Australia, or any government official and voice his personal opinion on troops pulling out of any war we are not part of, in a press conference, is nuts! Its not like they were sitting in a pub over a beer discussing the weather, oh and wars, which is where you would sit and voice your opinion. If he is going to voice his personal opinion at a press conference with another foreign minister, maybe he should warn us all that he is doing just that- voicing his personal opinion just so that us at home, and everyone watching around the world .know that he is making comments that we have no right to actually make. As unfortunate as it is that he is representing us, its worse that he thinks we are all mind readers.
Owen McShane
I have listened to the whole interview as taped. First he gave the official line. Then he said "if you want an opinion, and I stress this is my opinion" or words to that effect, and then went on to say he believed that if the US etc pulled out right now it would lead to chaos." This is no different to the government line during the UK occupation of Northern Ireland. So should he have said it? First, he made it clear it was an opinion and not government policy. He is a Minister outside cabinet so he is not bound to follow the party line. So he could say it and he did say it. Had he been a Labour Minister inside the Labour Cabinet the PM would have cause to complain. But he is not so she doesnt.
Albert Jackman
First I feel that Iraq does not appear to want any help from anyone. Second, I feel that the best thing that can happen is for everyone to pull out and let them get on with it. Plus the war should have never started as the B.S. about weapons of Mass destruction was nothing but 100 per cent lies just to start a war.
Bruce Nicholson
Yes I would support a change from this present administration and I believe Keys is the one to lead the Nats into the next election. When we have politicians getting up the antics that we have seen by labour in the last six years then it is well time to get rid of them
Paul
And how exactly would Winston Peters describe the current situation in Iraqi - perfect harmony? Daily car bombings, hundreds killed, thousands injured and maimed. Looks like chaos already.
Scott Joseph
I am an US citizen, applying for NZ residency. Iraq is a sopping mess, not because we removed Saddam, but because we tried "nation building."
Evelyn Gilbert
I have to agree with Luke. Read Riverbends blog and you will know that Iraq is gone. America staying there is like leaving the fox in the chicken coop and hope that he will bring order in the chaos that his arrival in the coop has started in the first place. Mr. Peter hass has had a couple of meetings with Condi Rice. I was wondering when the rubbish she has been spouting over the last couple of years would be repeated by Mr. Peters. Well, now we know. I call on Helen Clark to refuse to meet with the war-criminal-in-chief and to make sure that New Zealand steers clear of being in anyway involved with this American Administration. I hope that one day they will be in court for their crimes and I would not want to see a photo reminding Helen Clark of that very embarrassing moment she shook hands with Bush.
Chris
Mr Peters will continue to put foot in mouth and blame others for reporting it. I hope he will continue to do so. If he does we may finally see the end of this man who somehow is a model to all New Zealanders of what not to do and how not to act.
Peter Cole Cimino
Peters has made a mockery of New Zealands decision to not invade Iraq—the granting of the foreign affairs portfolio to Peters has disgraced the Labour government.
Murray Morgan
Of course Mr. Peters is right. It is just a pity that our dear prime Minister does not have the courage to face up to reality. But I guess to do so would offend those on whom she relies to keep her government of mediocrity hanging on to its power. Of course we also have to realise that the government of this country does not really lie in the hands of Ms Clark and her cohorts. It lies in the hands of those with whom she has to negotiate, the Greens etc. What this country need is more people like Mr. Peters. People who are not afraid to stand up for what they believe and not duck for cover when things dont go as they hope. Roll on election day!
Andrew Atkin
Good on Winston Peters for the stating the truth. Iraq is a miserable mess, but without the American presence it will be much messier. Bush got America into this situation (and so did America by voting for Bush for that matter), but that is now history. America must deal with its responsibilites in Iraq as they stand today. Iraq is full of non-negotiable sadistic terrorists and different types of people that have been taught to hate each other, and to the point of wanting to kill each other. One option I see is to break the country up into large fortified (gated and guarded) communities like the way South Africa is going, to isolate the waring peoples. Lets face it, they are not going to fall in love with each other any time soon. If possible, exercise a massive anti-arms campaign where American soldiers systematically raid houses and buildings to search for and remove weapons. And a more exotic possibility; develop (as soon as possible) a part-automated part remote-controlled robotic soldier to compliment tradition soldiers (it can be safely controlled by civilians). Without going into details, think of an unmanned micro-tank that extends up and down on top of a 4-wheeled segway. The latter is not unreasonable because the supporting technology for this already exists, and it would in fact be much cheaper that using human soldiers (not to mention safer of course). The issue is speed of manufacture, so I am thinking of this possibility as a system to assist long-term social-stability.
Faith Saffioti
Yes, I think he is right.
Spoff
The views of Mr Peters simply reflect the Washington "Think Tank" line as promulgated by Fox news and the like. It is not until one researches the situation in depth that the US agenda becomes apparent.Iraq is in the process of being broken up into smaller, more manageable states that will no longer represent a threat to the US client Israel. This process is nearing completion and the U.S./Israel alliance now has its sights on Iran with a similar object in mind.
One does not expect Mr Peters to understand this, let alone publicly state it. After all, what are 600,000 Iraqi lives compared to a photo op with Condi?
Lars
What Winston said is correct. If the USA and UK pulled out off Iraq right now, it would be an absolute disaster and plunge Iraq into more sectarian violence between Sunni and Shi'ite. He is entitled to give his opinion.Helen needs to pull her head in. Will Helen Clark voice her strong anti war in Iraq opinion when she meets Bush in the White House? We know she wont as she has proved many times before she is a hypocrite.
Luke
Anyone who has read this blog, http://www.riverbendblog.blogspot.com/, would know that Iraq is well gone already. It appears the US have opened a Pandora's box. God only knows how it can be fixed.
Brendan Cheyne
This is a complete non-story. Typical of political journos scraping around to invent a story. Peters states the obvious eg If the US & Aus withdrew then chaos would ensue. The journos leap on a perceived "policy" difference. What a load of crap.
Sean
The oft repeated mantra that disaster would befall Iraq if the US left prematurely overlooks the obvious fact that Iraq is already suffering that disaster, and that the US is not part of the solution, it is part of the problem. Good on Ms Clark for refraining from joining in this chorus. Silly of Mr Peters for missing her cue.
