Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Well, That'll Teach 'Em

New Zealand doesn't let our nuclear warships into their ports. So although we are otherwise good allies, when a New Zealand frigate and support ship came here to participate--for the first time since the 1980s, I believe--in multi-national naval exercises we are hosting, we didn't let the ships dock in Pearl Harbor with other participants. We made them dock in another port in Honolulu.

Which put the Kiwi sailors much closer to the women and liquor:

"I think they are the happiest guys in RIMPAC - they are not stuck in Pearl Harbour," he said.

"They've got Chinatown right here, they've got Waikiki, instead of spending 60 bucks for a round-trip (cab ride)."

Hooters has received many New Zealand sailors.

It is possible that we did this on purpose to welcome the New Zealanders even though technically we have to scowl at them for the nuclear prohibition.

I fear that this is just symbolic of our inability to really figure out how to punish behavior we don't like.