That's the only description for the news that Air New Zealand has been helping the "coalition of the willing" prosecute its illegal war in Iraq. When even Peter Dunne is resorting to calling them "lickspittle lackeys of the Australian and American Governments", you know they've really fucked up. Sure, they're a commercial operation, but at some stage common sense and ethics have to kick in about, say, not profiting from an illegal war. Unfortunately it didn't, and so for the sake of a few extra dollars Air New Zealand has now made their planes - and we poor suckers who fly on them - targets. Thanks, guys.
Meanwhile, quite apart from hauling Air New Zealand into line (can they add them to the SOE Act and so bring them under the social responsibility clause in s4 (1) (c)?), the government also needs to find out who in MFAT had the brilliant idea of not telling them that Air New Zealand had asked about permission to help in Bush's squalid little war. Because obviously, that's what you do on highly sensitive issues which are likely to inflame the electorate. OTOH, that's exactly what the government has been doing on Guantanamo, so maybe MFAT was just applying the same rule: don't talk about it, and hope that no-one notices. Unfortunately for them, it didn't work this time.
Finally, I'd like to add my voice to those congratulating Ian Wishart and Investigate for doing real journalism for once, rather than the usual slime and sleaze. If he does more of it, perhaps people will stop treating him as a pariah.
