The Zimbabwe Tour issue is proving to be the litmus test for the integrity and thinking ability of many commentators. Jordan Carter today said, "There is no issue of human rights involved in banning NZ sports bodies from touring dictatorial regimes. So long as such a policy was applied on an even handed basis, against all those countries where despotism is in place, I would have no problem with it as a matter of principle."

Does he read what he writes? Does he believe what he writes?

Jordan goes on to suggest China is potentially an issue...."does that apply? China? If to China, does that imply banning economic contact too (good bye FTA)?"

It seems he is suggesting that Human Rights policy could be suspended if there is a large/greater economic benefit? Huh; Isn't this the guts of the Left's criticism of Bush? That American foreign policy ignores human rights abuses if it is in America's interests.

He then meanders into even more dangerous territory suggesting 'human rights' are a collective thing - "Surely these are more interesting matters to debate than sterile, odd questions about whether the proposal would breach people's human rights, when it so obviously does no such thing..." Obvious?

So preventing a selected member of a sporting team from travelling would not be a breach of their human rights?

Finally, why has the Government not gone to the UN; the darling of the Left, the UN is surely where the Government would be heading on Zimbabwe if they seriously backed it an institution and believed in solving Zimbabwe. David Farrar notes today. "...Jordan and the Greens have said that the UN is the source of authority for countries to take action such as sanctions, or other disciplinary action (up to war). They have spent years decrying Bush for not having UN backing.

Yet here they propose unilateral action against Zimbabwe, despite no UN sanction!" (Hat Tip David Farrar)

Perhaps they finally realise the UN is useless - under its watch Africa has gone backwards every year since 1960. ie Since the Colonialists were booted out (the previous two centuries Africa charged ahead, I might add).

We are seeing the Left in all their splendid pink plumage - it may look pretty but it ain't working - "We can see you!"