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In recent months, and especially July 2020, New Zealand has undertaken several moves to align itself with the US in its anti-China policy.
Australia is, more or less, entirely aligned, judging by its rhetoric regarding Hong Kong and other issues.
New Zealand is ramping up its military spending in line with a previous statement.
Ministers from the top-level intelligence-sharing network that includes New Zealand, Australia, the US, Britain and Canada issued a statement on June 24th, promising to “advance defence and security cooperation” to defend the “global order that is increasingly being challenged.”
As such, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s government, a coalition between Labour, the Greens and the right-wing nationalist NZ First Party, is committed to spending $20 billion on military upgrades.
This money is being diverted during the COVID-19 social crisis, alongside the economic crisis that’s been worsened by the pandemic.
On June 26th, the NZ Navy received its new fleet tanker, the Aotearoa, purpose-built for $500 million by South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries. The Aotearoa is the biggest ship ever to serve in the Navy and can operate in the Pacific and the Antarctic.
After a short period of specialist equipment fit-out the 173.2 m-long auxiliary oiler replenishment (AOR) vessel, which is replacing decommissioned fleet replenishment tanker Endeavour , will conduct sea trials before embarking on a series of port visits.
Aotearoa is capable of carrying 8,000 tonnes of diesel fuel, 1,550 tonnes of aviation fuel, and 250 tonnes of fresh water for resupply operations. It is also capable of carrying up to 14 standard 20 ft containers (or, double stacked, a maximum of 22), and producing 100 tonnes of fresh water each day, according to the New Zealand Navy.
On July 8th, Defence Minister Ron Mark, announced the purchase of 43 new Australian-designed Bushmaster armoured vehicles for the army.
Mark praised the $270 billion military spending program announced by Australia’s government this month that includes new long-range missiles.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison told media tensions between the US and China meant the world was in a dangerous period comparable to the 1930s and 1940s.
NZ Defense Minister Mark said that:
“What is good for Australia and the defense of Australia is ultimately good for New Zealand.”
Canberra, he said, had shown “a clear commitment… to the defense of not just its own interests, but also to our Pacific partners, and a full realization of the range of challenges that we’re all facing.”
Mark added that he was “very pleased that the door is wide open to New Zealand defence industry players to tender” for Australian military contracts.
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The 5 eyes call them, the best would be to call them the 5 fools.
The 5 blind evil cunts have also been responsible for starting 90% of global conflicts since 1945. Korea to now Syria, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, Palestine, Lebanon, Ukraine, Georgia and Yemen and not to mention horrendous war crimes.
What a load of horseshit by someone too embarrassed to even put his name too it. The ship is for primarily humanitarian purposes to the island nations in the Pacific and rescue missions to the Antarctic. It doesn’t even have a pop gun . It has been in the pipeline for years. The army’s equipment has been long overdue for upgrade for an army whose primary role is Peacekeeping duties around the world. As for the money being diverted is absolute crap. That money was allocated long before this virus became known and New money in the billions was printed to help everyone and businesses because of the virus. This is nothing but manipulations of the truth to paint a picture that fits the writers agenda. Bullshit and fake news is still bullshit and fake regardless of who makes it and the writer of this didn’t want to be identified to be called out on his horseshit.
I heard they also Weaponized their sheep. There is no doubt that New Zealand is a threat to world peace. LOL.
Maybe, but NZ is a US arse-kisser and also committed war crimes in Afghanistan.
A new report into a deadly incursion by New Zealand’s forces in Afghanistan says the military misled senior leaders, government ministers and the public over the civilian casualties ten years ago.
The government conducted an inquiry into a raid, dubbed “Operation Burnham” that was carried out by the New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) on August, 21-22, 2010 in Tirgiran Valley, Afghanistan.
According to the findings, an Afghan child was among at least eight people killed in the helicopter-backed raid.
“While there was no organized institutional strategy to cover up civilian casualties, between 2010 and 2017, NZDF made a series of incorrect and misleading statements in briefings to ministers and in public statements, to the effect that the allegations of civilian casualties had been investigated and found to be ‘baseless’ or ‘unfounded’,” said the report.
For years, the NZDF insisted that reports of civilian casualties were baseless.
For a country of 5 million tied to the UK we are hardly in the position to take on the US. We aren’t even allowed to know what goes on in the US satellite spy base at Waihopai which makes us part of the 5 Eyes. The US decides what they will tell us. No American warships visit New Zealand because of the No Nuclear ban which makes us the only country in the world to do that. As for arse licking , how is your country doing in that , No country in the EU , not even the mighty Germany tell the US to fuck off. Those inquiries into the SAS have been going on for years and any wrongdoing will be prosecuted..
His country is Iran. The haters will continue to hate, even a peaceful country like New Zealand.
There is a key issue that places the PRC and US-led coalitions (of which NZ is part of) on a collision course for war. The status of Taiwan.
At some stage the US enhancement of the offensive capabilities of Taiwan (particularly missile capabilities [1]) will necessitate counteractions by the PRC (and likely enforcement of the Anti-Secession Act).
The PRC clearly cannot allow Taiwan to become a close proximity force projection platform of an opposing military bloc. US moves to establish a new Cold War (to politically isolate and economically contain the PRC) and the formation of various anti-China coalitions (the Five Eyes alliance, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, an ‘Asian NATO’ concept being developed, etc.) translate to a broader conflict in the event of war (such war preparations revealing inadequate consideration is given by these coalition members of the strategic alliances China has with other nuclear armed powers).
The US is engaging in a multi-faceted hybrid war. As accurately summarised by Pepe Escobar: “The strategic objective is to go after China across the full spectrum. The tactical objective is to forge an anti-China front across the West: another instance of encirclement, hybrid war-style, focused on economic war. This will imply a concerted offensive, trying to enforce embargoes and trying to block regional markets to Chinese companies. Lawfare will be the norm. Even freezing Chinese assets in the US is not a far-fetched proposition anymore. Every possible Silk Road branch-out – on the energy front, ports, the Health Silk Road, digital interconnection – will be strategically targeted….. “Containment” will go into overdrive. (China updates its ‘Art of (Hybrid) War’, by Pepe Escobar, May 19, 2020)
But the PRC is well placed for these likely developments. The report concludes: “Beijing seems to identify clearly the extending gap between a West, especially the US, that’s plunging into de facto New Great Depression territory with a China that’s about to rekindle economic growth. The center of gravity of global economic power keeps moving, inexorably, toward Asia. Hybrid war? Bring it on.”
Efforts by New Zealand (and similarly Australia) to maintain economic benefits from trade with China while strategically/militarily aligning with the US are likely to be short lived, US escalations (particularly relating to the status of Taiwan) having a logical outcome. A likely approaching situation of war would involve broader alliance members (on both sides of the conflict).
The globally expanding militarism of the US-NATO-allied bloc (successive wars of aggression) now involves hybrid warfare and preparations for potential kinetic operations against Iran, Venezuela, the DPRK, the Russian Federation and the PRC. Many active conflicts and likely approaching wars are progressing towards becoming one. This concept is reinforced by the structure of military exercises and deployments/movement of military architecture in preparation for large-scale conflicts between opposing blocs. As accurately described:
– “if data on Russia-NATO power balance at the Western direction is analyzed, as well as military activity build-up rate at our borders, scale of combat equipment deployment, if the grade of Russia’s demonization is estimated, one can say that preparation to a real war is taking place. [Such] acts are usually undertaken at the forefront of a war [and it is evident] the US is preparing for a [potential] nuclear conflict……” [Colonel General Leonid Ivashov, President of the International Centre of Geopolitical Analysis]. (This concept also applies to the PRC that is correctly making corresponding preparations).
Note: It is also worth monitoring broader developments which have the potential to transform relatively contained conflicts in to larger-scale regional conflicts. This concept applies to various active/developing conflicts (in the ME, E Europe, E Asia, S America, N Africa, E Mediterranean, etc.).
References: 1. “Taiwanese missiles are increasing in range and are capable of striking cities in inner China, including strategic targets….. ” (South China Morning Post)
This report is another example – if more were needed – that the US and its allies are on course for war with China. Blind to the warnings of history, all are sleepwalking towards world war three. https://www.ghostsofhistory.wordpress.com/
The mouse that roared. In reality the New Zealand armed forces couldn’t even beat the New York City Police Department. Now back to the Cartoon Network boys and girls in Wellington.
This is just the US forcing their vassals to prop up the US arms industry.
Putin is ready to attack kiwis? I knew it! Ah, chinese… but they are Putin’s friend, check and mate!