In criticising National for not mentioning the war you should in fairness be pointing out that Labour's foreign policy on their website does not mention the war in Iraq either. The Greens don;'t even have foreign or defence policies, so god knows what they think.

Lala Harre on RNZ…

Myanmar a fascist shithole run by psychotic uniformed thugs – which it so obviously is.

Psychotic uniformed thugs is 100% correct. Burma (it should never, ever be called Myanmar, language is so important) is however a wonderful country filled with culture, and history, and largely wonderful people desiring only to…

"I'm pulling this entirely out of my arse, because we don't have…

"it would be an issue…

The question re Iraq that Key has to answer is:
__If the US were to declare a pre-emptive war on…

Maybe National (and their supporters) should stop getting pedantic about who is 'technically correct', and start fronting up with their actual opinions on the matter.

Jake:

Oh FFS... perhaps we could actually stop dismissing simple matters of clearly recorded fact as petty 'pedantry'. I actually think it kinda sorta matters.

which raises the point:
journalists may feel they have to take a (probably) uncharitable interpretation of a political speech as a way of forcing clarification when a party otherwise refuses to be clear about what their policy is.
If that's an adequate justification for…

Oh, and for anyone who is still interested (and do hope you'll mention this Russell) Fran O'Sullivan has an interesting column on Phil Goff's Iraq-induced political Alzheimer's.

Indeed, I was planning to mention it. I was planning to observe what a bogus argument it was. Of course no one turned…

if Key had said the war was over in May 2003, when Goff used the phrase "post-war", it would have been unremarkable.

To be fair to Craig, Russell – he also quoted from Helen Clark last week as well:

Iraq did not meet our criteria for intervention in 2003 and…

In May 2003 the conflict seemed to have ended. In 2007, that appears not to have been the case. Phil Goff's comments, when placed in their proper historical context, appear sensible.

Or to put it another way, if Key had said the war was over in May 2003, when Goff…

What part of that don't you understand?

The part where the usually reasonable Craig Ranapia appears to clutch at straws. ;-)

In May 2003 the conflict seemed to have ended. In 2007, that appears not to have been the case. Phil Goff's comments, when placed in their proper historical context,…

Eww, indeed. Something not someone. I believe that's a case of what Private Eye used to call unintentional vileness.

Otherwise, I'm not buying it. I did actually quote a speech Clark made at the Oxford Union earlier this week. There's nothing 'unfair' about noting what Goff and Clark were…

Ewww.

More seriously: it's somewhat unfair to compare statements made in 2003 (when we got the whole ridiculous "Mission Accomplished" blitz, and, if you defined the opponent as Saddam, he was gone, ergo no war) with statements made __in 2007, when we…

Money quote:

The Defence Minister should not be allowed to get away scot-free with this criticism given the statements he made as Labour's Foreign…

Let's Give These Ratbag Students A Hiding

Girl-Crazy Dictator Pins Down NZ Troops
(That was Sukarno – something to do with NZ troops in the…

Yeah it is strange. I guess they want to convey girls who deal with a broader range of the seedy side of life, rather than just hookers. Although probably most hookers fit that bill anyway.…

Could one of our hard-bitten journo contributors explain the origin of the term "vice girl?"

I'd guess that it's a shorter, less sexual sounding way of saying prostitute/hooker/whore/lady of the night. It fits nicely in limited headline space, and isn't going to morally corrupt any innocents who happen to glance…

Your 'tedious pragmatism' does basically assume that National and Labour intend to share a huge amount of policy. If they had a bold new direction with detailed plans, which the other…

I want to know what National are going to do.

I'd rather no Government writes policy via press release and speech notes – because I think it's fair comment to say both National and Labour governments have been bit in the arse on that score in living memory. (Most recently,…

Liked the point the victim was named and shamed but that cops have a special protection by the media. One rule for all dogs comes to mind.

I don't think the name suppression rule works when one of the "dogs" is dead. You can't be prosecuted for defaming, slandering or…

crooked cops in vice girls and gang p shocker
P blamed for vice girls getting crooked cops involved in gang…

I've read the Truth more than once. A friend buys it religiously. The boxing commentary is actually quite good. The personal classifieds are incredible in their sheer size, you really get the impression there's a hell of a lot of hookers in Auckland working for bugger all. And…

Unless they lose, in which case said roots are structural additions to a cursing streak.

Got me thinking of Housing NZ & Maori Land.

Housing NZ supply good healthy homes (stop laughing) onto Maori land and so the need for tin shacks and perm Caravan parks are removed.

Confession
I bought my 1st copy of the Truth. Liked the point the victim was named and…

Once again, we get policy that isn't policy. There are no specifics, just a very broad indication that National would like to consider some options that they say Labour don't. They don't specifically say what the options are, just that they hinge around the…

Which reminds me of a comment my son made on the weekend. He told me to vote for Bob Simcock, "cause the other guy's too hairy, and I don't want a hairy mayor".

The age of prophets is not yet passed, Jeremy. I don't want to sound…

Would I vote for such a paragon, you ask?

S/he would be my FIRST CHOICE!

Well, if you're voting for people on the basis of what they don't know, Mr Banks is surely your man then.

Sure you don't want to reconsider? ;-)

Who?

(Sorry, just a reminder that some of us are atheists about sport as well as imaginary friends).

You mean you reject the existence of Doug Howlett?

Oh, and I actually did know he was Tongan.

S/he would be my FIRST CHOICE!

That might be why eight-year-olds aren't allowed to vote, but as an ad-man himself, the hairy one…

(Sorry, just a reminder that some of us are atheists about sport as wellas imaginary friends).

North Island – right?

:-)