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  • SAS head back to front line

    New Zealand's war in Afghanistan looks likely to be one of its longest military deployments as Special Air Service troops prepare to rejoin the front line.

    Prime Minister John Key said yesterday it would be three to five years before troops could quit the troubled country altogether as many as 14 years after Helen Clark first dispatched the SAS in the wake of the 2001 attack on New York's World Trade Center and the Pentagon in Washington DC.

    New Zealand's involvement in the war has so far cost nearly $200 million. "I was hoping for an exit strategy a little faster than that but ... that is the timeframe that is realistic and will support all our efforts," Mr Key said.

    Up to 70 SAS soldiers are poised to leave for Afghanistan after the Cabinet agreed yesterday to their return after a request from the United States. They will be deployed in Afghanistan for up to 18 months, in three rotations.

    Mr Key would not say where the troops would be serving or how soon they would leave but has previously made it clear that they would be ready to move as soon as the Cabinet had made its decision.

    Approval to send the SAS back to Afghanistan their fourth deployment since the war started followed a review of New Zealand's military involvement there.

    Mr Key confirmed that he had briefed US officials last week on New Zealand's likely commitment of the SAS, which comes as he prepares for his first official visit to the US as prime minister next month.

    Cabinet also agreed to begin winding down New Zealand's military involvement in Afghanistan's Bamiyan province, where up to 140 Kiwi soldiers have been based since 2003, helping with reconstruction efforts as part of a provincial reconstruction team.

    But Mr Key said it would be several years before New Zealand quit the province altogether, adding that it would provide more civilian workers to help fill the gap, in education, agriculture and health.

    The deployment comes as conditions in Afghanistan become increasingly dangerous, but Mr Key said he did not consider troops to be in greater danger than at any time previously.

    But the decision to send the SAS faces opposition. Labour leader Phil Goff said the way to end the conflict was through winning "hearts and minds", not sending more combat troops.

    "This has fast moved in the direction of being a civil war between the Taleban elements ... our belief is that the best way of winning in Afghanistan is by winning people over to the side of having a democratic regime and rejecting terrorism. We are not convinced that can be done by simply increasing the number of combat forces."

    New Zealand's longest military deployment is in the Middle East with the United Nations' Truce Supervision Organisation, which the country has been part of since just after World War II.
    Source
    In the realm of spirit, seek clarity; in the material world, seek utility.

    Leibniz

  • #2
    Hey Pari, good showing by John Key, but do you honestly think that 70 SAS will make much of a difference? Perhaps if they joined forces with 22 SAS, some difference could come out of it.

    And as for Phil Goff, my goodness the mans an idiot.

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by Chaobam Armour View Post
      Hey Pari, good showing by John Key, but do you honestly think that 70 SAS will make much of a difference?
      Minor in numbers certainly but you don't get a Presidential Unit Citation for picking your nose. Specialists like these guys make an impact beyond mere numbers. It was interesting to hear the debate about whether they should be split up and imbedded within 'advanced' Afghan units to train them, but the Army squashed it as it was considered too dangerous relying on troops of that calibre to watch your back.
      Perhaps if they joined forces with 22 SAS, some difference could come out of it.
      A birdie once told me NZSAS wear 22 SAS insignia as often as their own;)
      And as for Phil Goff, my goodness the mans an idiot.
      Yep. The measure of a cheap politician is when they place politics over the interests of our military personnel
      In the realm of spirit, seek clarity; in the material world, seek utility.

      Leibniz

      Comment


      • #4
        Wow. I'm guessing he's not aware of the origins of the term "hearts and minds."
        I enjoy being wrong too much to change my mind.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by ArmchairGeneral View Post
          Wow. I'm guessing he's not aware of the origins of the term "hearts and minds."
          I prefer Westmoreland's...
          Reddite igitur quae sunt Caesaris Caesari et quae sunt Dei Deo
          (Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God the things which are God's)

          Comment


          • #6
            Noble-minded Souls

            "I prefer Westmoreland's...:))"

            Sherman?

            Genghis Khan?

            Now THERE'S a guy who knew how to get a message across that civilians could understand...

            Anyhow, good on the kiwis for sending their lads again.

            Not so sure about the civvies in Bamiyan as that seems to be heating up a tad lately but, if New Zealand's cool with it, who are we to question?
            "This aggression will not stand, man!" Jeff Lebowski
            "The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool." Lester Bangs

            Comment


            • #7
              Good luck & God bless to all - heres hoping all return safe & well.
              sigpic

              Win nervously lose tragically - Reds C C

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by S-2 View Post
                Not so sure about the civvies in Bamiyan as that seems to be heating up a tad lately but, if New Zealand's cool with it, who are we to question?
                They'll only be sent on condition of reasonable safety. There's been three IED's recently with no casualties and IIRC the US has recently added 70 troops to the PRT. I'm hoping that the claim made a while ago that the locals like our troops more than the Talibunnies and therefore refuse permission to the talibunnies to attack still holds true.
                In the realm of spirit, seek clarity; in the material world, seek utility.

                Leibniz

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Parihaka View Post
                  Minor in numbers certainly but you don't get a Presidential Unit Citation for picking your nose. Specialists like these guys make an impact beyond mere numbers. It was interesting to hear the debate about whether they should be split up and imbedded within 'advanced' Afghan units to train them, but the Army squashed it as it was considered too dangerous relying on troops of that calibre to watch your back.
                  A birdie once told me NZSAS wear 22 SAS insignia as often as their own;)
                  Yep. The measure of a cheap politician is when they place politics over the interests of our military personnel
                  Both Australian and New Zealand SAS Units wear the same badge as 22, they also wear the 'Blue Belt' the same as 22.

                  You also find a few Kiwis and Aussies in 22 SAS. ;)

                  Comment

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