| The Anti-Bases Campaign asks: ‘Why was a USAF B-52 given permission to feature At Warbirds Over Wanaka 2020? It says: “We are alarmed to learn that the ‘star’ of the April 2020 Warbirds Over Wanaka Air Show is to be a US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber, making its first appearance in New Zealand. ( One was supposed to fly over the 2019 Wings Over Wairarapa air show but it never made it, breaking down en route). Murray Horton, ABC Organiser, says: “ABC is Christchurch-based and we have had a US military transport base (Harewood) at our airport for more than 60 years. “We are used to US military transport planes coming and going here; and for those planes to feature at open days at Christchurch Airport. B-52 bomber a different kettle of fish “But a B-52 bomber is a whole different kettle of fish. “Because it is synonymous with the systematic aerial destruction inflicted upon Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos during the Vietnam War, people may think that B-52s are historic relics, on a par with the various vintage warplanes that are flown at NZ air shows on a regular basis. “But not so – although B-52s date back to 1952, they have been in continuous use by the US Air Force ever since, and remain so today (they have been most recently used to bomb Syria. “And, in 2020, were deployed to the Indian Ocean base at Diego Garcia as part of Trump’s aggressive military threatening of Iran following the murder of the Iranian general in Iraq). “To quote Wikipedia: “The USAF continues to rely on the B-52 because it remains an effective and economical heavy bomber in the absence of sophisticated air defences, particularly in the type of missions that have been conducted since the end of the Cold War against nations with limited defensive capabilities. “The B-52 has also continued in service because there has been no reliable replacement”. Mr Horton says the US military expects to keep using the B-52 until the 2050s. ‘Soft power’ in action He says NZ has been out of the ANZUS Treaty for nearly 35 years (the Australia, New Zealand, US military treaty that was the foundation of all New Zealand’s defence and foreign policy from its inception in 1951 until the US, under President Ronald Reagan, kicked us out in 1986). He adds:It remains in force today, but only between the US and Australia). “So, what is this Wanaka visit all about? It is aimed at softening up the New Zealand people to support further extending the military alliance with the US, but this time on (our) home soil, rather than overseas. “This is called “soft power”. It took until 2016 for the first US Navy warship to visit NZ since the 1980s’ “ANZUS row”. That warship visit was under the Key National government, which is not that surprising. Authorised by the Ardern Government “But this B-52 visit (and its abortive 2019 flyover predecessor) was authorised by the Ardern Labour Coalition government. “The US knows that it can keep on chipping away at NZ public opinion, aided and abetted by a sympathetic Government. “The steady drip, drip, drip of soft power is intended to lead to the full resumption of ‘hard power’ i.e. NZ as a fully functional, albeit junior, US satellite once again (that is already the reality but it is not the perception that is peddled to the NZ people). “The US military propaganda announcing the B-52 visit was aided and abetted by a media headline saying: “US Bomber To Grace Airshow”. It doesn’t grace anything – it disgraces the country. “Allowing a B-52 into NZ is particularly provocative and offensive. It is not just any old warplane. It is a weapon of mass destruction and terrorism directed at civilians in whichever country it operates, a veritable Angel of Death. “ABC sees this as a dangerous precedent. B-52s have no place in New Zealand. Nor do any other US warplanes. “ Ardern asked to reply KIN asked the Prime Minister yesterday to reply to these allegations. It received a reply saying Jacinda Ardern would reply, but so far nothing has come through to us. |
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