"Current NZ defence policy relies on the UN responding to threats to NZ security. But this may not be anything we can
rely on," warns Libertarianz Defence Spokesman Robert Winefield.
Winefield was responding to reports today that 2 out of 10 of the US Army's regular divisions were unfit for war due to
manpower deficiencies brought on by ongoing commitments to UN peace keeping missions. He notes that the US has always
been the biggest contributor to the UN's punitive campaigns, and today's reports show how that commitment has weakened
its own defences - and ours as a result.
"Of course," says Winefield, "no NZ politician will admit this. Our East Timorese adventure demonstrates they
universally subscribe to the "Magnificent Seven" school of defence theory, where NZ forces ride to the aid of
downtrodden third world peasants."
"But the Magnificent Seven were well equipped, and they were mercenaries," notes Winefield, "neither of which is true of
our troops. Our under-equipped troops are paid by NZ taxpayers to defend NZ taxpayers. With the US military becoming
increasingly stretched it is about time we brought them home, and equipped them to do so.
ends