Backbencher

This report is from ABC News Australia.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO is considering forging formal partnerships with Pacific Rim countries, including Australia and New Zealand. The plan is being discussed at a meeting of foreign ministers from the European and North American alliance in Bulgaria. It is reportedly being pushed by the United States.
Global threatOfficials say that while NATO has no intention of becoming a global policeman, current threats are transnational. Australia and New Zealand are the top candidates for NATO partnerships because they are already working alongside the alliance in Afghanistan.South Korea and Japan are also being considered. Officials stress that the issue is only being discussed at the moment and no decision is anticipated at the meeting in Sofia. Australia has troops as part of the 9000 strong NATO deployments in Afghanistan and is contributing to the US led military presence in Iraq.New Zealand also has a small number of soldiers in Afghanistan, while Japan and South Korea have deployed troops in Iraq.

It seems that the Iraq war has become center stage again and this time it is for more than just the US. As you well know Australia has before and continues to support the US in many ways since WWII. I dont know if the addition of them and New Zealand will bring about any changes to nuclear policy in New Zealand but it might help to have more members of NATO to be on our side.

In my opinion I not quite sure how the whole Iraq war will end up, I already see us having troops in place similar to the North, South Korean border. I mean for a very long time. But maybe with more on board for the cause the issue can be resolved a lot quicker in order to make an attempt to restore world peace.