Buchanan on NZ’s international security policies

Just in time for US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s visit to NZ, Paul Buchanan calls for more public discussion about NZ’s role in international security operations.

Buchanan laments — rightly — the lack of debate about serious issues and in particular on foreign policy as we near an election. He singles out our international security policy for attention; most urgently our commitment to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) nation-building and counter-insurgency operations in Afghanistan needs to be re-evaluated “in light of events on the ground.”

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How not to win in the USA: Tell the truth

Paul Buchanan’s excellent commentary on Obama’s “guns & religion” statement can be read at Scoop.

Right now, Buchanan has a little spare time and can turn his mind to such things. I am looking forward to his return to Auckland University in the near future; the justification not to reinstate was the weakest part of a decision that was somewhat patchy.

Buchanan makes the point that Obama’s cardinal sin was to tell the truth about what’s really happening to a large part of the American people. Obama compounded his sin by making the comments to a group of rich/super rich Angelinos, a more unfortunate choice in the current climate being hard to think of.

My own experience of the USA — extended visits over many years to a number of states — bears out Paul’s points…