Clark sticks to guns in Iraq debate

By AUDREY YOUNG and FRANCESCA MOLD

Prime Minister Helen Clark yesterday described the imminent military strike by the "coalition of the willing" against Iraq as a "dangerous precedent" which could erode their moral authority in the future.

Greens MP Keith Locke called it a "coalition of the killing".

Act leader Richard Prebble said New Zealand's failure to join the coalition made the country more irrelevant than it had ever been.

In the first parliamentary debate on the Iraq crisis, Helen Clark carefully avoided criticism of the United States, Britain or Australia, saying: "Our Government is determined that this difference of opinion, substantial as it is, will not damage long-standing friendships which we value."

The Government fully understood the frustration, impatience and outrage felt by them at Iraq's resistance to United Nation's resolutions to disarm.

But in her strongest statement yet distancing New Zealand from the coalition of the willing, she added: "It is a matter of profound regret to us that some of our closest friends have chosen to stand outside the Security Council at this point, for a new and dangerous precedent is being set.

"It may be possible to justify one's friend's taking such action," the Prime Minister said, "but where then is our moral authority when other nations use the precedent which is now being set?"

A motion moved by Mr Prebble calling on the Government to offer support to the so-called "coalition of the willing" won the support of only Act and National, 35 to 84. National leader Bill English hardened his party's position, committing it to support for the United States, "the world policeman", even without a United Nations resolution.

National had wanted a second resolution passed by the Security Council (it was never put) "not in the belief that war could necessarily be averted but in the belief that if there was one, if should have the broad support of the international community".

Those who opposed the war and wanted a United Nations resolution "have the luxury of knowing now that Saddam will be disarmed and that what threat he offered to the world will be removed," Mr English said.

"Now that the diplomacy is over, now that we are dealing with the raw calculus of military might, there can only be one winner and it is only honest to back the coalition of the willing for that reason."

In an impassioned speech, Mr Locke said any war on Iraq would be a criminal assault and "in no way a just war".

"This is not a coalition of the willing; it is a coalition of the killing.

"It's all very well for the men in their fine suits - George Bush, John Howard, Tony Blair - to stand behind their podiums and say we haven't got time to wait even for a few weeks ... while they unleash a murder Machine against the people of Iraq the like of which the world has never seen."

Targeting water and electricity supplies fitted in the definition of war crime, which would make Mr Bush a war criminal.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said his party understood the urgency felt by the United States but it did not support a unilateral decision by one group of countries to invade another.

That would create a dangerous precedent.

Mr Peters described the United Nations as a "toothless tiger" but said at least it had tried to prevent war in Iraq.

The NZ First leader said the split between traditional allies was a tragedy.

"This evil despot and dictator [Saddam Hussein] must take great comfort from former Nato allies tearing themselves apart in public."

Mr Peters also questioned whether the Government was doing enough to ensure that terrorists did not enter New Zealand as refugees and asylum seekers.

Mr Prebble said New Zealand's refusal to join its traditional allies in the war against Iraq would have a long-term effect on the country's relationship with them.

"The United States has asked us for assistance and shamefully - for the first time in our history - we are not standing up against fascism, against this terrorist, this threat to world peace.

"We should be there," Mr Prebble said.

"I don't think New Zealand has ever been more irrelevant at a time when foreign policy is impacting on our daily lives ... old alliances are being torn up."

United Future leader Peter Dunne said he deplored those who thought unilateralism was the right path to follow in the case of Iraq.

That would only take the world down the path towards international anarchy.

"But I have an equal contempt for those who seem to think that the nations of the world who stand for peace, freedom and democracy have no role in bringing rogue states to heel."

Mr Dunne said that now conflict was inevitable, New Zealand and the United Nations must look to the role they could play in rebuilding Iraq and cleaning up after the war.

Progressive deputy leader Matt Robson said the United States would do better to link real disarmament with development.

He said there were calls for just a fraction of the resources spent on weapons to be spent on development.

"The New Zealand Government has shown a firm grasp of history by knowing that in the long term this proposal for war is ruinous, that there are alternatives and that is to link development with disarmament."

Herald Feature: Iraq