The major development today from the Hit and Run launch by Nicky Hager and Jon Stephenson yesterday, was former Defence Minister Wayne Mapp admitting that there were civilian deaths…
Former Defence Minister concedes civilian casualty in 2010 SAS raid in Afghanistan
Former Defence Minister Wayne Mapp has conceded civilians were killed in a 2010 Afghanistan raid – the first Government concession of the deaths.
The raid is the focus of Nicky Hager and Jon Stephenson’s new book, which claims six people were killed.
Newshub spoke to Mapp – who was Defence Minister at the time of the attack – today.
…remember the NZ Military and Government are still claiming nothing happened here and there doesn’t need to be an inquiry.
According to Paula Bennett on Morning Report this morning, this is just a conspiracy theory by Nicky Hager.
I’m not sure many ‘conspiracy theories’ generate this kind of media attention…
Full credit to Wayne Mapp
Could be criticised for not speaking out at the time, but understandable if that was his instruction from above.
Cheers D J S
Wayne, off the Mapp, he seems to be concerned enough, due to age, I presume. I know what getting older means, and once tends to think a bit about past adventures and mistakes, and reconsiders stuff.
That is where he is now coming from. He made mistakes, the government he was part of made mistakes, he is MORTAL, so are ALL of us, so that tells a person, come on, let’s get real, we made a stuff up there, for the reason of coming to terms with things, let us get bloody HONEST.
So I respect this new position, even if it may sound and look hypocritical, at least it is an admission of sorts. We all die one day, and some who care may thing, I want to leave with a clean and clear conscience, where is yours, Mr John Key, where is yours, Mr Bill English, where is yours, Ms Paula Bennett?
Maybe they are too “young” to get it?
+1
And it’s not at all hypocritical. There are still one or two gnats that are honourable people and always have been even throughout the Planet Key Era.
(Don McKinnon for example has always had a concern for prisoner rehabilitation – I recall his involvement and encouragement given to the Paremoremo Prison debating team and other initiatives way back, when an extended family member was stupid enough to be there)
It’s pleasing to see Mapp finally front up even though it did require a bit of prodding.
We might even see one or two more in the future, once they leave the toxic cesspit and start worrying about their legacy. I don’t expect the Guys Bennetts noBridges etc to be amongst them though
Paula Bennett won’t read the book, she says.
Can she read?
She reads, but only appraisals of herself.
she has a closed mind and is proud of it?…is she fit ? … to be an MP let alone Deputy of the National Party?
….where is Jacinda and the Labour Party on this?
…they should be shouting
The plan for National, coming up to the election is probably one of
– do nothing about anything in the too hard basket, and sign away as much stuff ( secretly), to as many corporates as you can.
I have never particularly liked Wayne Mapp. However I give him credit for coming out publicly confirming the fact civilian casualties were involved in the botched raid.
Good one Wayne Mapp.
Seems NZ was lied to by the NZDF and the Key led government!
While Wayne Mapp concedes civilian deaths occurred during botched raids, at the same time when questioned of the events, sewer trawler John Key says he’s proud of the work the SAS has done in Afghanistan!
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11824691
Did Wayne Mapp mislead parliament.?
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