Up and at ’em – but let’s make sure this sovereignty stuff doesn’t rule out defending ourselves

With a bit of luck, our navigator got it wrong and this is a beach in Miami.

It looks like it’s all on for Kiwi troops to be despatched to Iraq.

Iraq’s Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Ja’afari today met a heavyweight bunch of Alf’s colleagues, The Boss,  Murray McCully and Gerry Brownlee.

There was a request for us to help his beleaguered country and as Radio NZ said:  

The request for support takes New Zealand one step closer to a decision on deploying troops to help train Iraqi forces, with back-up from special forces.

The Government has repeatedly ruled out the troops having any combat role.

It looks like Iraq’s fighting forces have been trained by the American Olympic team’s sprint coaches

We might have to run for it if we can’t thumb a ride…

If you peep through your window this morning, and spot someone running down your road in Army kit, it may well be a fleeing Iraqi solider.

Iraq’s fighting forces seem to be in full fleeing mode at the minute and Alf would by no means be surprised if they haven’t run as far as this country in their desperate efforts to put a great distance between themselves and the insurgent forces that are giving them a hard time.

Check out these reports.

Ah, so we can have a slash at Waihopai, but farting noises near the Mayor of North Shore are a no-no

Alf has awoken the morning after celebrating St Patrick’s Day in appropriate style to find the world of civil rights turned upside down.

Under modern rules of protest, we can damage an American communications installation in the South Island on the grounds we firmly believe it is a spy station responsible for contributing to the deaths of innocent people around the world.

But we can’t blow a raspberry at the Mayor of North Shore in a shopping centre.

Not even if we are female, in our 70s, and should have earned the right – by virtue of greater maturity – to blow raspberries at a Mayor regarded by some as mad.

The Herald reports both stories today –