While the US bombing of Iran and demands for defence hikes saw 'Indo-Pacific 4' nations downgrade their summit presence, a broader shift may be taking place that New Zealand's PM seems oblivious to.
Luxon, the TikToking evangelist soap salesman with an ego twice the size of his head, which is completely filled with absolutely no ideas. Meanwhile his country’s economy is in free fall.
The leaders of NATO's other "partners in the IndoPacific", South Korea, Japan and Australia, choose to stay home.
Having missed the text from his three mates ("Nah, we're not going bro") Christopher turns up on his own to Mark Rutte and Donald Trump's swanky engagement party at the Hague.
Did he bring the specified present of 5% of New Zealand's GDP? We don't really know for sure. There did seem to be a certain awkwardness there. Maybe he had to explain that "to be honest, Donald, we are still working on how to pay for it, but don't worry it will arrive, and soon".
Luxon can fall back on inexperience as an excuse. Dim wittedness even.
But what about Winston Peters? No lack of experience there. Perhaps too much experience. Half a century spent fawning before the leaders of the imperial powers, first Britain and now the United States, has made him irredeemably cynical.
Yet the spectacle of the thug Trump celebrating his nuptials to the whore Rutte would not have sat easily with the image of gravitas dressed in a pin-stripe suit which Peters has cultivated throughout his career. It would have been more in keeping with the mores of his porn-loving and overtly Trumpian deputy, Shane Jones.
And that is how the colonialist regime will end, with a mindless automaton urged on by the most corrupt specimens of humanity on the planet.
Crucial insight and journalism thanks Mick. The U.S is declining and falling while Asia is rising, what a quandary for our leaders.
My stomach turned looking at a photo of the NATO leaders, including Luxon, smug and entitled, whilst Gazans are experiencing unimaginable pain and suffering whilst enduring the holocaust of committed by their vile ethno supremist entity. Luxon and co represent shame and embarrassment to be a New Zealander.
Most parties to the South China Sea dispute are now either in BRICS, or are BRICS partners or have applied to join.
Indeed, EVERY COUNTRY IN THE DISPUTE except for Brunei and the Philippines. Indonesia and China are full BRICS members now, Malaysia and Vietnam are BRICS partners.
You don't tend to join the trade blocs of countries you suspect of wanting war with you.
Taiwan's claims exactly mirror China's so they are a special case. Effectively they're on the same side of the dispute, despite their differences in other areas.
This dispute was created by the US to divide the region, and it's failed. Now they have nothing.
The entire region wants peace, commerce and honest friendship with China. We should too. Instead we have been vassalised by the United States. We are a little lapdog for militarism in the region. We are everything we claim China is. We should regain our independence and neutrality.
In this chaotic world, what else is irrelevant to our interests? The author's point of view reminds me of the little antelope on the African savannah, which just wants to have a good sleep and ignores the predators around it.
Luxon, the TikToking evangelist soap salesman with an ego twice the size of his head, which is completely filled with absolutely no ideas. Meanwhile his country’s economy is in free fall.
Thank you Mick. Huge appreciation for actually journalism these days.
Luxon's behaviour and Winston's comments make me want to puke. How extraordinarily naive and out of touch with reality these guys are. Good report
So Christopher Luxon goes to the NATO summit.
The leaders of NATO's other "partners in the IndoPacific", South Korea, Japan and Australia, choose to stay home.
Having missed the text from his three mates ("Nah, we're not going bro") Christopher turns up on his own to Mark Rutte and Donald Trump's swanky engagement party at the Hague.
Did he bring the specified present of 5% of New Zealand's GDP? We don't really know for sure. There did seem to be a certain awkwardness there. Maybe he had to explain that "to be honest, Donald, we are still working on how to pay for it, but don't worry it will arrive, and soon".
Luxon can fall back on inexperience as an excuse. Dim wittedness even.
But what about Winston Peters? No lack of experience there. Perhaps too much experience. Half a century spent fawning before the leaders of the imperial powers, first Britain and now the United States, has made him irredeemably cynical.
Yet the spectacle of the thug Trump celebrating his nuptials to the whore Rutte would not have sat easily with the image of gravitas dressed in a pin-stripe suit which Peters has cultivated throughout his career. It would have been more in keeping with the mores of his porn-loving and overtly Trumpian deputy, Shane Jones.
And that is how the colonialist regime will end, with a mindless automaton urged on by the most corrupt specimens of humanity on the planet.
That's definitely colourful language viz Trump, Rutte (what a shocker he is), Jones and our friend Peters and a bloody good laugh!
🎯🎯🎯🎯
Crucial insight and journalism thanks Mick. The U.S is declining and falling while Asia is rising, what a quandary for our leaders.
My stomach turned looking at a photo of the NATO leaders, including Luxon, smug and entitled, whilst Gazans are experiencing unimaginable pain and suffering whilst enduring the holocaust of committed by their vile ethno supremist entity. Luxon and co represent shame and embarrassment to be a New Zealander.
We need to wake up.
Most parties to the South China Sea dispute are now either in BRICS, or are BRICS partners or have applied to join.
Indeed, EVERY COUNTRY IN THE DISPUTE except for Brunei and the Philippines. Indonesia and China are full BRICS members now, Malaysia and Vietnam are BRICS partners.
You don't tend to join the trade blocs of countries you suspect of wanting war with you.
Taiwan's claims exactly mirror China's so they are a special case. Effectively they're on the same side of the dispute, despite their differences in other areas.
This dispute was created by the US to divide the region, and it's failed. Now they have nothing.
Just look at the map of SE Asia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BRICS#/media/File:BRICS2.svg
The entire region wants peace, commerce and honest friendship with China. We should too. Instead we have been vassalised by the United States. We are a little lapdog for militarism in the region. We are everything we claim China is. We should regain our independence and neutrality.
In this chaotic world, what else is irrelevant to our interests? The author's point of view reminds me of the little antelope on the African savannah, which just wants to have a good sleep and ignores the predators around it.