Which country is this?
April 29th, 2006 at 7:57 am by David FarrarThe popularity of the foreign troops has fallen 34%
Their mission is meant to be temporary until law & order is restored
The foreign Government though refuses to put a time-table on troop withdrawal saying “would stay for as long as the locals wanted it to.”
The response to critics of the retention of the foreign troops is to say that it would be much worse for the locals if they pulled out.
Many MPs are seen as corrupt, and negotiations to form a Government are dragging on.
No it isn’t Iraq, it is the Solomons.
Tags: International Politics
April 29th, 2006 at 8:03 am
An example of the benign strategic environment and there will be more of this to come. I predict we will have troops in every pacific micro state as corruption and disease takes hold.
Vote:April 29th, 2006 at 9:34 am
On what basis do you assert that this doesn’t describe Iraq?
Couldn’t it quite easily be both Iraq and the Soloman Islands?
Vote:April 29th, 2006 at 9:37 am
It’s the same country where the dominant military force are a bunch of RANDIs, while the support force of Kiwis is more respected by the locals. The Kiwis are doing the East Timor shuffle, providing a peaceful and people-driven regime change.
And, unlike the Yanks in Baghdad, we are not installing a 104-acre fortified embassy compound.
Vote:April 29th, 2006 at 11:24 am
I bet it makes Kiwi’s feel big and important. It’s easy to mouth off when you have nothing at stake. Had 2500+ people mass murdered lately?
Vote:April 29th, 2006 at 12:25 pm
Graeme – you are taking it too literally.
Most people reading that would think Iraq (and it could be Iraq). The point I was making is that the Solomons are starting to show some of the same symptoms.
Vote:April 29th, 2006 at 12:42 pm
>And, unlike the Yanks in Baghdad, we are not >installing a 104-acre fortified embassy compound.
Actually, the article suggests that we have built an even bigger enclave called “Honiara”.
“John Roughan, originally from New York, has spent the last 48 years living in the Solomon Islands, studying their way of life and adjusting development methods to suit the country. He describes the Solomons as a series of villages, and believes many Westerners struggle to understand the culture.
Ramsi, he says, is particularly struggling, and is out of its depth trying to work in a country with over 60 languages and geographically spread over hundreds of rugged islands.
He believes Ramsi would benefit from spending more time in villages inducting staff into the culture, and says a Ramsi economy has been created in Honiara only which benefits just a few of the locals, causing resentment.
“The people have built up expectations around Ramsi. They expected their lives to become not just marginally better, but substantially better. But the poverty levels in the Solomons have not decreased, they have increased.”
The comparisons between the two countries are striking in their similarities only on the surface. In reality, the Yanks re-established civilian control much more quickly, elected a good constitution quickly and with much civilian approval and controlled the outbreaks of violence much better. Iraq’s per capita GDP also soared and Iraqi (and Afghanistan) confidence in the future is amoung the highest in the world.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4641396.stm
JC
Vote:April 29th, 2006 at 3:39 pm
How the heck is this like Iraq? Our troops didn’t roll through the country shooting and bombing everything in site and then proclaiming victory and freedom for all!
This is a peace keeping mission to restore law and order, the Iraq invasion was a hostile act of war to impose the will of the US govt on the people of Iraq. Also NZ has little to gain from this other than being a ‘good citizen’ in our region the US wanted access to and control of Iraq’s oil.
Vote:April 29th, 2006 at 4:10 pm
Moralistic anti-war frothing is the correct way to respond to facetiousness, I’m glad you guys are so tactful.
Vote:April 29th, 2006 at 5:46 pm
Rocket boy,
Vote:the reference is to the “occupation” part – not the war itself.
NZ has all the usual things to gain. I’m sure if it was the USA you would be giving us a hige list of cynical gains to do with power or UN votes or some such thing. Although on the whole like with the USA and iraq it will just be a black hole for money.
April 29th, 2006 at 8:07 pm
It is Helen Clark World Policewoman (or at least Policewoman for small countries in the Pacific (assuming that Australia says it is ok)).
Vote:April 30th, 2006 at 12:06 am
We stopped throwing our toys out of the play pen with the Americans and asked them to be nice to us. Winston told them we are pulling our weight in the pacific. And we are.
So have I got this correct ?
Vote:NZ: It’s a benign strategic environment
USA: Look at all the military and police work we do…
April 30th, 2006 at 7:26 am
It is Iraq the description -not the Solomons as unlike Iraq the Solomon people like us NZers and appreciate our help. Lets just hope and pray the bullyboy US dosent carry on it global aims and invade Iran as well -at least now the American people are finaly waking up and it appears there is a huge magority including many of the US armed forces are seeing Bush and his regime for the arsholes they are -maybe they can pull them in and demand a few sackings etc such as Rumsford and Chenye to start with-we live in hope:)
Vote:May 1st, 2006 at 9:27 pm
Paulinem – the quality of your analysis is surpassed only by that of your punctuation, spelling, and grammar. You must be an idiot – as any reasonably balanced individual would be ashamed to so advertise their illiteracy. Alternatively, might I ask if you speak Japanese?
Vote: