Monday, April 07, 2003

Prime Minister Helen Clark Dixie Chicked!

Rumblings from the high-powered National Security Council chaired by United States President George W Bush were the catalyst for the apology by Prime Minister Helen Clark over Iraq, it has been revealed.

Miss Clark had suggested the war in Iraq might not have happened had Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore beaten Mr Bush.

The National Security Council, chaired by the president, includes as its regular attendees the vice-president, the secretary of state, secretary of the treasury, secretary of defence and the assistant to the president for national security affairs. Its advisers include the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and the director of central intelligence.
It is the president's principal forum for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior advisers and cabinet officials.

It was confirmed yesterday by Miss Clark's office that New Zealand embassy officials met National Security Council officials last week over her comments, which have also ruffled feathers in Australia, after she suggested New Zealand would not trade the lives of its soldiers for material advantage.

Miss Clark initially reacted angrily to any suggestion that New Zealand had been "ticked off" by the US for her remarks, reportedly stating on Friday that she "would not tolerate" such an inference.

But Miss Clark later issued an apology, apparently after the alarm was sounded by Mr Wood, who contacted her office to report the level of concern being raised with him in Washington.

Her apology was sent to Mr Swindells and to Mr Wood, who is understood to be circulating it to the State Department, National Security Council and other Washington agencies that expressed concern.

"Perception becomes reality. You deal with the perception and on that basis I have made it clear I apologise for any offence created. I'm a politician, not a diplomat. People are usually in no doubt what I mean about things . . . if I had intended to express a view about the president I would have been a lot more forthright.
Let me say for the record, I have met President Bush several times. I find him as an individual an engaging and likable person and it is not my intention to offend him in any way," Miss Clark said.



I have so many questions.
First, why is this news worthy? I mean, New Zealand isn't one of our coalition members, so who cares? Why did everyone at the NSC get their panties in a wad over what New Zealand thinks?

Second, anyone else catching the intimidation going on here? Check the names in the NSC and tell me I'm paranoid. Scary little boys club they got going there.

Third, and this is why I did this story in the first place, why is Bush so pacified with all these false "apologies"? Why is America?

So far, of all the apologies I've heard or read, NOT ONE actually said they were sorry for WHAT THEY SAID. They've all worded their apologies so carefully, and if you really listen to what they say, they're not apologizing for the opinions they hold.

They're not really even apologizing for having stated those opinions. What they DO apologize for is any offense they may have caused. That is NOT apologizing for anything, it's like saying " I'm sorry you're so thin-skinned that you can't take it".

But that seems to pacify Bush and Co. They just want you to back down, they don't care if you mean it, they just want the world to see it.

Kansas @ 5:55 PM