The Mendacities of Mr Key #10: “Only two years!!”

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In his recent statement to Parliament, Dear Leader Key made this commitment to the people of New Zealand when announcing that troops would be sent to Iraq;

“The deployment will be reviewed after nine months and will be for a maximum two-year period.”

The question that should be in everyone’s mind is; why should we believe a politician who has repeatedly told lies; gone back on his word; or mis-represented previous situations?

It was only last year, before the September election, that he poo-pooed any suggestion of sending anything but humanitarian aid to Iraq;

But Key said he did not believe it likely New Zealand special forces would be deployed or requested.

“I don’t think that’s likely,” he said.

“We’re just so far away from probably ever having to make that call.

“But in the end in so much as with any global issue, as things play out New Zealand would always look to the [United Nations] Security Council for its view and its sanction of anything that may happen.

“So you can never say never in a world where the Security Council decides that Iraq needs support of some sort – engineers or whatever it might be. That could always be considered but I think that’s very unlikely.”

Asked if that meant he could rule out New Zealand special forces soldiers being deployed to Iraq, even in an advisory capacity, Key responded; “I would say yes’.

He said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was working on a proposal for aid and “I don’t think our involvement in Iraq [will be] any greater than that.”

Eight months later – Key is standing in Parliament explaining why NZ troops are being sent to Iraq. Not humanitarian aid, as he promised in June last year.

This is the same man who;

• stated categorically that he knew nothing about an upgrade of the ministerial limousine fleet – then was proven to have lied when documents were unearthed bearing his signature
• “committed to honouring our Kyoto Protocol obligations” – then walked away from Kyoto II negotiations in Doha, in November 2012
  
• reneged on including agriculture in the Emissions trading scheme, when he had earlier promised “it’s unlikely it would be amended“.
• reneged on his promise not to raise GST  (then increased it in 2010)
• claimed he was told that Standard & Poors would have downgraded New Zealand’s credit rating under a Labour government – something strenuously denied by S&P
• promised not to sell any further state assets during the election campaign last year (and then subsequently announced the sale of thousands of state houses)
• lied about when he had received txt-messages from a right-wing blogger
• and many other instances of untruthfulness, broken committments, etc.

So why should New Zealanders believe any utterances from John Key about limiting New Zealand military involvement in Iraq – when less than a year  ago he had categorically stated there would be no such involvement in the first place?

Predictions:

1. If National wins the 2017 election, expect NZ Army personnel to remain in Iraq longer than two years.

2. Expect the SAS (or other NZ military forces) to be increasingly involved in military operations in Iraq – known as “mission creep”.

3. Expect casualties.

John Key will break his committment to bring home NZ troops after two years.

We have no reason to trust him.

 

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References

NZ Herald: ‘Sending our forces to Iraq is not an easy decision’ – John Key’s full speech

Fairfax Media: No New Zealand forces to Iraq, says Key

NZ Herald: Govt backtracks on limo statements

Fairfax Media: PM signed papers relating to BMWs

National Party: John Key, Speech: Environment Policy Launch

Science Media Centre: NZ forgoes Kyoto for new climate plan – experts respond

Fairfax Media: Key ‘no GST rise’ video emerges

Parliament: Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2012

NZ Herald: ETS changes ‘unlikely’ despite pleas

Interest.co.nz: Key stands behind comment that S&P more likely to downgrade Labour govt than National

NZ Herald: S&P contradicts Key downgrade claim

Radio NZ: PM rules out more asset sales

Fairfax Media: Key claims confusion over texts with Slater

Previous related blogposts

Johnny’s Report Card – National Standards Assessment y/e 2012 – environment

The Mendacities of Mr Key #8: A roof over your head, and boots on the ground

The Mendacities of Mr Key #9: The Sky’s the limit with taxpayer subsidies!

That was Then, This is Now #26 – John Key will let slip the dogs of war

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This blogpost was first published on The Daily Blog on 27 February 2015.

 

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