The decision by Cabinet to continue to deploy troops to Iraq and Afghanistan is strongly opposed by the Green Party, who believe the money would be better spent on humanitarian aid in the regions.
The decision by Cabinet to continue to deploy troops to Iraq and Afghanistan is strongly opposed by the Green Party, who believe the money would be better spent on humanitarian aid in the regions.
“We opposed the extension of the troops in Iraq in 2016 and we are opposing it now. John Key make a broken promise that the Iraq deployment would only last two years. It’s been a total of four years now and yet troops remain in an ongoing capacity”, Green MP Golriz Ghahraman said today.
“We opposed the decision to send more troops to Afghanistan last year under National. It is disappointing to see this Government extend these deployments.
“We know that both conflicts do not pose a risk to New Zealand, but deploying soldiers to the region puts soldiers at risk. The regions are desperately in need of humanitarian help. Money should be sent in foreign aid rather than sending more troops.
“NZ needs to stand as an independent principled voice against the military industrial complex, instead of blindly following America and Australia into wars. In the past we have opposed nuclear and apartheid, it is time to say no to sending soldiers to Afghanistan and Iraq”.