Image by womenwithoutborders via FlickrWhen the New Zealand Labour Government introduced and adopted its anti- nuclear policy in 1987, the then National opposition not only vehemently opposed it, they actually ridiculed it as nonsense!
It put New Zealand off-side with the US for over 20 years until President Obama has introduced his nuclear weapons reduction policy and agreement with Russia to reduce their nuclear weapon arsenals by a third. Obama also seeks a world without nuclear weapons - rhetoric perhaps, but a mindset change in reality.
During these years of isolation for NZ after they refused entry to US warships unless they were prepared to disclose they were nuclear powered or armed, NZ has been unable to train with the US miltary or receive intelligence reports from them, and NZ was locked out of the ANZUS alliance. New Zealand received information from third parties and trained with mainly Australian military forces. NZ adopted an independent foreign policy, but was always a friend and ally of the US, but not officially the latter.New Zealand refused to commit combat forces to Iraqi conflict unless it was sanctioned by the United Nations. New Zealand has shown its commitment by sending special forces troops to Afghanistan for the next 18 months or so at least.
Well that has now apparently all changed, and NZ has come in from the cold. But the US found over 23 years that the little guy won't always accept being bullied in the schoolyard by one of the big guys! I'm pleased anyway because I'm not anti-American but was just anti- bully!
So here is Johny Key one of President Obama's favoured guests this week as a member of a foreign conference of world leaders in Washington. He has already met with Vice-president Joe Biden and will talk with President Obama on the nuclear issue. PM Key has found himself the vehicle to which recognition of New Zealand's two decade long opposition to nuclear weapons will be directed. And that dear readers is the ironies of ironies; granted that Key was hardly old enough to have been a politician back in 1987. He is the one who accepts New Zealand's anti-nuclear redemption on its behalf. Did the National Party actually oppose New Zealand's anti-nuclear policy? Yeah right!
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