ABC Updates
21 June 2019
1/ The Government has announced a $20 billion spending spree for the military https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/113363745/nz-military-20b-shopping-list-planes-boats-soldiers-satellites-and-drones And guess what - there will be more for the spies:
"With the new equipment, and also a stronger emphasis on space and
satellite capability, there would also need to be a
boost to intelligence personnel
and cyber security and support capabilities". The media has gullibly
bought the Government's propaganda line that this enormous military
spendup is all to do with NZ's response to climate change! Gordon
Campbell provides a reality check on
Scoop
http://werewolf.co.nz/2019/06/gordon-campbell-on-the-war-fighting-purposes-of-our-massive-spend-up-on-defence/
2/
Australasian war crimes in Afghanistan.
Both NZ and Australia are currently embroiled in the consequences of
war crimes committed in Afghanistan by their respective militaries. In
NZ's case, it is taking the form of the behind closed doors inquiry
into the matters raised in the book "Hit And Run" by Nicky Hager and
Jon Stephenson. Most recently, the Afghan villagers at the centre of
it all have announced that they have lost confidence in the inquiry
and will have nothing further to do with it. So it will just go
merrily on without them
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/113562798/afghan-villagers-pull-out-of-government-inquiry-into-sas-raid
Throughout the inquiry there have been regular Wellington protests, with some wonderful big banners:
Meanwhile the Aussies haven't mucked around with an inquiry into the
war crimes committed in Afghanistan by their SAS. Nope, they just sent
the cops in to raid the Sydney office of ABC (Australian Broadcasting
Corporation) to try to find who leaked the incriminating evidence https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/06/widespread-concern-australian-police-media-raids-190606034354876.html
3/
ABC veteran Dennis Small sent us this:
"NZ Nuclear Free status at risk from Rocket Lab
National Alert! The NZ Government is helping the preparations
for space war, which the US military and key politicians warn is
likely very soon.
Space war really means World War III. Such is the military madness
and suicidal stupidity of which Aotearoa/NZ is today an integral part.
Ollie Neas of
The Spinoff
has recently published a brilliantly (if ever so sad!) damning article
of our Government's crony collaboration with that pernicious arm of
the American military-industrial complex, Rocket Lab, so perversely
the darling of the business, media, and political establishment.
Meantime, the Trump Administration runs riot on the international
scene In an era when the Doomsday Clock stands at two minutes to
midnight.
The ancient Greeks certainly had a very wise saying: Those whom the
Gods wish to destroy, they first drive mad! There are 10.000 or so
nuclear weapons primed and ready, many likely to be on hair- trigger
in the last act of Earth's dominant killer ape species.
Find Ollie's article at: "She'll be right' attitude to Rocket Lab
putting Nuclear Free NZ at risk, experts say: https://thespinoff.co.nz/business/17-05-2019/shell-be-right-attitude-to-rocket-lab-putting-nuclear-free-nz-at-risk-experts-say/
17/05/2019.
Also see: http://www.kiwipolitico.com/2019/05/launching-into-trouble/
7/05/2019. The latter suggests that Aotearoa/NZ is now a target. He
could well be right!"
Most recently, Rocket Lab has said that part of its next payload will
be kept secret
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/113564986/confidential-payload-aboard-rocket-labs-sixth-orbital-mission
4/
SAS Soldier KIlled On NZ Exercise With US Military In Auckland https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/112667836/army-counter-terrorism-training-resumes-after-death-of-sas-lance-corporal-nicholas-kahotea "It
comes as the NZDF and the United States Army Aviation Regiment carried
out a joint military exercise, involving personnel and aircraft, in
Auckland and Waiouru, beginning May 8, and scheduled to finish on May
23, the NZDF said on Facebook.The training exercise, which is being
conducted 'to practise counter-terrorism integration techniques
between the two countries', involves day and night flying, and live
firing within the Kaipara Air Weapons Range".
5/ Who knew?
Air New Zealand Wins Another Contract To Service US Navy Warships
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/112268984/air-nz-wins-another-contract-to-service-us-warships
6/
Who in the Government thought it was a good idea to authorise a
US Air Force B52 bomber
to be the "star" of the February 2019 Wings Over Wairarapa Airshow? ABC
wrote to the Government about this and got a reply from Winston
Peters, the Minister of Foreign Affairs (having been fobbed off by the
Prime Minister). Peters' reply is at
http://www.converge.org.nz/abc/press_release_files/PetersB52Letter.pdf ABC
wrote to him again, asking how many other nuclear capable US military
aircraft had recently visited NZ. His latest reply (11/6/19) says:
"There have been two visits to New Zealand in recent years by a type
of United States military aircraft that could potentially be equipped
to carry nuclear weapons. Two F-16s attended the RNZAF Air Tattoo in
2017, and a further two F-16s took part in the Warbirds over Wanaka
Airshow in 2018. These visits were approved under the New Zaland
Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament and Arms Control Act 1987 on the basis
that the Prime Minister was satisfied that the aircraft would not be
carrying any nuclear explosive device when they landed in New
Zealand". That still tells us nothing about why the B-52 was approved
to fly over NZ in 2019. As veteran peace activist Maire Leadbeater
wrote to ABC: "But did the Prime Minister know and was she consulted?"
(as required by that Act.
Secretary/Organiser
Anti-Bases Campaign
Box 2258, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
abc@chch.planet.org.nz
www.converge.org.nz/abc
www.facebook.com/AotearoaABC