No support for NZ troops to Iraq

Peace Action Wellington is appalled that the New Zealand government has extended the length and breadth of the NZSAS operations in Iraq.

Peace Action Wellington spokesperson James Barber says, "We are opposed to the extension of the NZSAS operations in Iraq. This government is spending vast amounts on the military while consistently offering meagre solutions to other clear problems. The very minor increase in our refugee quota despite an international crisis, and the minor actions to provide much needed social housing in Aotearoa despite a local crisis, can be starkly contrasted against this deployment extension and the $20 billion of extra funding for the military."

He continued, "This government has got its priorities wrong. The current refugee crisis and formation of ISIL were the direct and inevitable result of the 2003 illegal US war in Iraq. This war involved the mass murder of hundreds of thousands of people and the destabilisation of the whole region. Rather than taking actions like substantially increasing our take of refugees this government, along with the USA and the UK, are trying to solve a problem caused by western military intervention by using western military intervention."

It is also deeply concerning that the government has not been clear about the role New Zealand troops are playing in Iraq. While Ministers say we are training Iraqi security forces, only 16 out of the 143 deployed to Iraq are trainers.

James says, "this Government is simply telling us to take their word and stage managed appearances at training camps for the truth."

According to the Cabinet paper "Review of the Iraq Deployment" obtained under the Official Information Act, "up to" 106 soldiers are "fulfilling a number of roles including training, logistics support and force protection" in Taji. All other information about what these soldiers are doing has been redacted.

Any information about what the other 37 soldiers, who are not in Taji, are doing has also been redacted.

James says, "the government needs to tell us what the hell these 37 soldiers are doing, since they're clearly not involved in the training operations!"

While ISIL and other insurgent forces are real threats within the Middle East the real solution does not involve supporting corrupt governments like Iraq, declared the most corrupt government in the Middle East by Transparency International. Nor does it involve supporting wars fought in the clear interests of the UK and USA.

Despite leading this "coalition" against ISIL both the USA and UK continue friendly relations with the known gross abuser of human rights Saudi Arabia. The barbaric actions of the USA armed forces are also well known. From the ongoing murder and radicalisation of thousands of civilians through their ongoing drone bombings, to Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay, the USA violates rather than defends human rights.

What is needed is for the western countries which caused this problem to welcome those fleeing the war, refugees.

What is needed is support for local solutions, defending peace, justice and self determination, not top down ones imposed by corrupt or self interested governments and their armies.

ENDS

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