When I first found out about the cables that had been exposed to the public, I thought it was another bogus story but when i finally got around to checking some of the papers in the United States [as you do] and see for myself what all this was about, I have to admit I was slightly worried. No, its ok, I haven't been having chats with Hillary Clinton over cable about things I would much rather see kept private [although considering the excitement of some of our local politicans, I have to wonder about others]. I also, just in case your wondering, had nothing to do with Wiki-leaks and this whole mess [I know, big surprize right]. I wasn't concerned either cause I thought something was going to be exposed relevant to New Zealand. I couldn't help but find amusing what Michael Field said in his article, NZ way down the Wikileaks queue, on STUFF.co.nz where he made the point that by the time they produced all the cables that had gone between New Zealand and Washington [and anything interesting] it would have been the year 2033.
In fact in certain respects there remains reasons to rest assured with these leaks are out and the information there. In this weeks [December 13th, 2010] TIME magazine, Fareed Zakaria makes some really good points about how the release of these cables may actually be for the better, in the column: World View. He is not suggesting that whoever released them get off scot free but is suggesting that the cables expose the value of the US State Department, whilst also exposing that Israel isn't the only one concerned with Iran as a potential nuclear power [other middle eastern nations like Saudi Arab came forward with private concern]. I have a feeling even with that as the case, they still were not popping bottles of champagne at the state department, but in any case I think there is some truth to the point Zakaria has made. Iran is now in the cornor concerned, and even accused Washington of releasing the cables [I guess only Iran is the one convinced they were poping champagne at the State Department]. What I guess these cables do, which is really important, is give a clearer picture of the concerns on various people's mind, and show a bit of the reality too often shrouded in secrecy. In any rate, having gotten all that out of the way: Why was I concerned then?
The USA-UK intellgience community, incapsulates a number of different countries around the world which share valuable intelligence that carves foreign policy positions, and security concerns. This network, of collaboration, which includes a whole bunch of similar countries which tend to align, which are: The United States, The United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and this very small country in the south pacific called NEW ZEALAND! Thats right, we give, they give, we all share the same pot of intelligence [its ok, this isn't a big secret or anything, I have not been inspired to start my own rounds of leaks]. This is the part though that I'm sure it would be prefered that was thought, but not said. New Zealand, it terms of intelligence, represents the 'back door' in a certain respect where anybody who wants to find out about information shared that might be interesting and valuable to a foreign government. What that means is when the United States has a whole bunch of their cables dumped on the web for the world to see, and at the same time shares all its intelligence [including these cables] with the rest of the world, including little old New Zealand [or so i suspect]. Well?
I think you can see there I am going with this, and here comes the fear that I'm sure would be very real if the United States wasn't sure who had collected and released all these cables [which they are]. Some one frustrated with the secrecy that nations hold their relations could come about anywhere in the world, where these cables were avaliable, and my big fear was that if all this had happened in New Zealand. Wiki-leaks being given global intelligence cables through our back door and in our backyard. Examples of something like this happening in NZ are not as far fatched as you think. One of this dishes that is used to gather intelligence [god knows what those things are doing in New Zealand, but anyway] was tampered with, although some time ago. If you remember a couple of guys climbed over a fence and hey presto, they did what they could to try and damage the dish. The two men were arrested and charged, and whilst I'm sure no one in New Zealand's military with access to these cables would want to share them and catastrophize future kiwi-yanky relations, I couldn't help but wonder if something had gone on, it would only take one crazy member of the New Zealand armed forces [I'm not suggesting a link between that attack, and wikileaks potentially, just an example folks]. I would like to hope that even with the rifts between the US and NZ, we would have nothing like that on our hands. I am glad therefore, that the man who caused this mess was an American [First class private Bradley Manning, who gave the material to wikileaks] and not a kiwi, so that the search for who let the cat out of the bag didn't turn into a witch hunt which might include New Zealand. As for Julian Assange who is the creator of wikileaks and released the material [who many conservative americans want to see hung from the highest tree] he is an Australian, and their problem [for once, we arn't going to fight over a celebratey, you can have him Australia....he has no connections with New Zealand! thank god].
When Hillary Clinton recently came down to New Zealand, I spent those few days drinking tea. I am not so use to having an american politican turn up on our doorstep and have all our local politicans turn giddy. My girlfriend didn't get it though [don't get my wrong, she is a bright one, but she didn't understand what i was going on about, TEA?] Normally I drink coffee, I do so avidly. I explained: "Most of the tea the american's have, is at the bottom of Boston harbour, so i think im safe here drinking tea" [yes, I am talking about the Boston Tea Party, when Britain taxed the shit out of their US colonies with tea, and the now US returned the favour by sticking it in the harbour and telling them to sod off]. However, I don't have anything against the United States, on the contrary, I just get a little nervious when my too favourite countries start mingeling together with no clarity as to 'why?', particularly having someone like Hillary on our doorstep? That being said: I would be concerned if this current climax of 'good relations' was destroyed. With that in mind, I'm glad that even with our own potential backdoor to more US cables then Wiki-leaks would know what to do with, that all we have in our backyard isn't a scandel, but just boring grass, and that it wasn't us!
