Scoop Audience Responds3: Want US Warships In
NZ?
US Warships in NZ Waters
My understanding of our current policy is that we do not allow any nuclear armed or powered warships into NZ waters. This is not aimed solely at the USA, but as they are the only nation that wishes to visit without first confirming that their ships are not nuclear armed or powered, their ships are not permitted to enter.
Erid Good said "Yet we welcome ships and aircraft from the UK, France and Australia to our ports,(and China, Japan, etc) but not from the US. Does that actually make sense. Not really. "
The only reason US ships cannot enter, is the "Neither Confirm nor Deny" policy of the USA wrt the nuclear issue.
For Mirek Marcanik to say "New Zealand is not only weak in its ability to respond effectively to any threat to its interests, but is apparently committed to a policy of appeasement rather than defiance" makes no sense in this case. We ARE being defiant in the face of steady and somethimes scary pressure from the world's only superpower. If we were to change our policy to please the USA, we would be appeasing that regime.
And obviously Joe Taddei is living in that parallel universe inhabited by so many Americans these days: "unless US takes its stand in providing security in your area in a not too distant future North Korea will invade you"
The North Koreans have no interest in NZ (and possibly not much interest outside the Korean peninsula). They are a paranoid regime intent on saving face at home in their dealing with the international community, and trying desperately to live up to their own internal propaganda while half (or more) of the population starves to death.
Annie – Christchurch NZ
US Warships
We need us warships in our waters as they are the only reason japanese is not compulsory! Also our communist elected dictator says we do not need a navy as we have no enemies. Pull the other one,it has bells on it!
Andrew Perkins