Comments on: Well done Goff

By: adc

adc — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:59:13 +0000

what’s the point of meeting the DL anyway? What does he even do – apart from flit around the world meeting people.

By: Karlgod

Karlgod — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 01:12:17 +0000

The Dalai Lama is the unelected leader of a seperatist ‘Free Tibet’ movement which aims to re-establish its feudal hegemony over a populace which it intentionally kept uneducated and subservient for hundreds of years under the veneer of religion. The standard of living and opportunities for self improvement now available to the Tibetan people vastly excels anything which the Buddhist theocratic regime evicted by the Chinese ever did for their own people. While the DL may not have as much blood on his hands as Osama or Arafat or other famous terrorist leaders, he is certainly not the saint which the fawning liberal media would have us believe. John Key made the right decision to not meet him. Imagine for a moment that a Maori separatist group established itself “in exile” in Fiji, claiming that their country had been invaded and conquered by ‘pakeha’ and the indigenous people were now regularly being denied their rights. Imagine that Chinese President Hu Jintao met with the leader of this group in Shanghai for a diplomatic discussion when the separatist was visiting a university there to talk about indigenous rights. How would the majority of NZers react to this? There is a lot about China’s growing influence in the world that I dislike, to the extent that for the past 18 months I have refused to purchase anything made there (meaning I never go to the Warehouse anymore, lol), but in this regard I think that they are actually in the right.

By: coge

coge — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 21:01:16 +0000

The Dalai Lama is a poster boy for the left. Only pinkos would want to meet with the Dalai Lama.

By: pentwig

pentwig — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 11:03:51 +0000

Razork

Are you suggesting the NZ taxpayer is paying for it?

By: Razork

Razork — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 10:09:46 +0000

How does the Dalai Lama afford a $3500 a night suite?

By: LabourDoesntWork

LabourDoesntWork — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 08:35:37 +0000

Grizz, if it POs the totalitarian scum that rule China then it’s alright. Pandering to same is not. This IS an issue and the choice is one or the other. It took the leftwing radical Obama to be the first US President since 1991 not to meet the Dalai Lama on a Washington visit. Whose side is this Key on…what a disgrace.

By: fatman43us

fatman43us — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 04:43:29 +0000

Thant’s Old Phil believe in everything the last reporter asked him!

By: BlairM

BlairM — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 04:15:02 +0000

Two increasingly irrelevant has-beens hold a meeting. Expect they’d have a lot to talk about.

By: Grizz

Grizz — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 03:00:15 +0000

I would want John Key to give his time to whatever would improve New Zealand. I have to ask you DPF, but how does meeting the Dalai Lama actually improve New Zealand. It may be great for photo opportunities. It may make us feel good that someone cares about Tibet etc. But how does this ever improve the lives of NZ or Tibet?

Perhaps it is good for political gain. Yet I can guarantee that the next election will not be fought on issues relating to who did or did not meet the Dalai Lama. However, Mr 5% might score a few votes of the Greens. Cannot see him stealing much off Hone though. Hone, if he could, would fly to India to a conference and go walk about amongst the Tibetans.

By: Johnboy

Johnboy — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 02:59:25 +0000

What a brave little man our Phil is! He isn’t afraid of anybody since Auntie shot through. First he pissed off the Maoris now its the Chinese. I wonder who will be next?

By: backster

backster — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 02:25:22 +0000

I bet GOFF made it very clear to the Chinese when negotiating the F.T.A. that he would continue to meet with the Dalai Lama if the opportunity arose.

By: 3-coil

3-coil — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 02:13:09 +0000

Brian – exactly.

Of course, maybe Goff apologised to the Dalai Lama yesterday for Helyn’s snub when she was our Prime Minister during his last visit…

By: pentwig

pentwig — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 02:03:40 +0000

Brian Smaller

Exactly.

Who is the DL for Key to care about.

By: malcolm

malcolm — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 02:03:09 +0000

[DPF: Then that is a price too high for the FTA]

Pick your battles. I certainly wouldn’t annoy the Chinese, just to meet with an unelected religious leader (who’s somehow morphed into a de-facto leader-in-exile for Tibet). Has anyone asked the Tibetans if they want this bloke representing them?

By: malcolm

malcolm — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:43:15 +0000

I think we should trade with China but not let them decide who we allow into New Zealand and meet with.

Cool. But what if the Chinese said they’d be re-thinking the free-trade deal if JK meets the DL? Caught between a rock and a soft place.

[DPF: Then that is a price too high for the FTA]

By: Brian Smaller

Brian Smaller — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:35:59 +0000

Also – I seem to remember Goff running cover for Clark when she didn’t meet with the DL as well. He is a hypocrite.

By: Inventory2

Inventory2 — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:35:40 +0000

This Chinese government should fear Bishop Tamaki – hasn’t God prophesied that he will be the next PM or something?

By: philu

philu — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:26:15 +0000

yes adolf..

the major difference being that the chinese govt couldn’t care less about tamaki etc..

it is key..bending the knee..

nothing more..

phil(whoar.co.nz)

By: Adolf Fiinkensein

Adolf Fiinkensein — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:16:10 +0000

David, the PM does not have to meet the DL every time he comes to this country. Nor does he have to meet with Brian Tamaki or the Baptist Minister from Woollongong.

[DPF: No, but he said he would]