By: Larry Williams | Monday, November 26, 2012 5:15 PM

ON TALIBAN

A senior Taliban warlord responsible for the deaths of at least three New Zealand soldiers in Afghanistan has been killed in a coalition air strike.

Abdullah Kalta was a key insurgent leader who was behind several attacks. He has been a prime target for coalition and Afghan forces.

It seems that the Provincial Reconstruction Team provided intelligence that led to the airstrike.

The doogooders who last month were infuriated that SAS personnel might have been sent to Afghanistan on a so-called revenge mission for the New Zealand soldiers death will have more to moan about.

Rationale Kiwis will applaud the killing. 

ON ALL BLACKS

The All Blacks predictably beat up Wales at Cardiff but not by as much as many thought.
Wales came back in the second half to avert a real drubbing.

But the focus is on Andrew Hores head high tackle from behind which will see him banned for a few games. It was certainly uncalled for and he deserves what is coming to him.

The smirk he had on his face immediately after the event will be wiped from his face. His tour is over. 

ON CUNLIFFE

Last week David Shearer called a vote that was pretty much pointless and designed to jettison David Cunliffe.

At the weekend he's now grovelling to Cunliffe.

"I have an enormous amount of respect for him; his knowledge around the economic issues and his knowledge of the politics that surround economic issues. He’s very talented," Mr Shearer said on The Nation.

"I would like to have him in a high position and that door is certainly open to him".

Shearer is all over the place.

ON BRENDAN HORAN

NZ First list MP Brendan Horan has been accused of a pretty low act.

He is being accused by his family of withdrawing funds from his dying mothers bank account.

Horan's brother says initial investigations suggested that about $85,000 was missing from his mothers accounts. Mana Ormsby said he would lay complaints with the police when the forensic accountants had completed their work.

Horan is innocent until proven otherwise but Winston Peters has a potential time bomb on his hands.

Even if there is no proof, and its a family matter, its not a good look for Horan or NZ First and it needs to cleared up soon. 

ON MAORI WATER CLAIM

The Maori Council are putting their case to the High Court over water rights.

They want to stop the Mighty River Power asset sale.

If they don't win in the High Court they will go to the Supreme Court where they will get a good hearing considering its loaded with pro Maori judges.

Here's the thing:

We need the partial asset sales to just finance the ongoing cost of Treaty claims.

The $5-$7 billion from the part asset sales will be gobbled up by Treaty claims in the next few years.

That is where the real scandal is.