The New Zealand government probably has a stance on the recent missile strikes against Syria. However, according to the website Just Security, a well placed key in a map demonstrating other nation’s stances is infinitely more important.
“PM Jacinda Ardern’s stance of acknowledging the illegality of the use of force by the US, UK and France, and endorsing the use of diplomatic means to deal with the Assad regime’s apparent use of chemical weapons, is irrelevant to the international foreign policy community,” states Just Security mapmaker Rebecca Inger, who is an American. “Who gives a shit what New Zealand thinks, realistically?”
Being placed in the bottom right of the standard equirectangular world map, New Zealand is a nation all too familiar with being obscured by keys, scales, drawings of old timey sea monsters and even just being left off altogether. In a clear demonstration of this phenomenon, the subreddit /r/mapswithoutNZ currently sports 39,900 subscribers.
Following talks last week with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Ardern substantiated her stance, stating the Assad forces absolutely breached international law and this could not go unchallenged. Does with confirming that the PM agrees with the use military means as a response to International law breaches justify a map update? It is unclear.
Also cut off by this one scale is the most southern regions of Australia. Does Tasmania have a radically different stance on Syria to mainland Australia? I guess we will never know.
Salient had the chance to ask Adern for comment, but was too nervous to speak out.
*Disclaimer: This is shit news.*