The two reasons NZ desperately need to be put on trial for war crimes

By
Martyn Bradbury
-
18
4

There are two reasons why NZ desperately needs to be put on trial for war crimes stemming from the failed 2010 SAS revenge attack on Afghan civilians that killed and maimed 21.

The first is that the evidence clearly shows that a war crime has been committed and that the official denials are simply bare faced lies to con New Zealanders.

NONE of these comments are even remotely true…

ISAF Joint Command: “No civilians were injured or killed during this operation”
– ‘Numerous insurgents killed and weapons recovered’, news release 2010-08-CA-266, 23 August 2010, Kabul, Afghanistan.

New Zealand Defence Force: “Following the operation allegations of civilian casualties were made. These were investigated by a joint Afghan Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Interior and International Security Assistance Force assessment team, in accordance with ISAF procedures. The investigation concluded that the allegations of civilian casualties were unfounded”
– ‘NZ Defence Force operations in Bamiyan on 22 August 2010’, media release, 20 April 2011.

Defence minister Wayne Mapp: “That’s been investigated and proven to be false…. I am satisfied around that”
– Wayne Mapp asked about civilian casualties, Q+A, Television New Zealand, 24 April 2011.

John Key: “My understanding is that after a thorough review of the CDF [Chief of Defence Force] at the weekend, he is very confident that the New Zealand Defence Force version of events is correct…. They say there were insurgents that were killed, but that was it”
– John Key on TV3 Firstline, 1 July 2014.

The New Zealand Defence Force: “The NZDF stands by its statement made on 20 April 2011 [above] and will not be making further comment.”
– New Zealand Defence Force, statement to Maori Television Service, 30 June 2014.

Defence minister Jonathan Coleman: “What I would emphasise is New Zealanders were not involved – and that’s categorical – in any civilian casualties or deaths”
– Jonathan Coleman in Stacey Kirk, ‘Categorical: ‘NZ troops did not kill civilians’, Stuff, 1 July 2014.

Defence minister Jonathan Coleman asked by reporters if coalition forces had killed civilians during the raid: “There is no evidence that they did.”
– Jonathan Coleman, New Zealand Herald, 1 July 2014.

John Key: “We don’t discuss the detail of SAS operations, but what we do say categorically is that no New Zealand soldier was involved in killing civilians”
– John Key in Ripeka Timutimu, ‘Key denies SAS involvement in civilian deaths in Afghanistan’, Maori Television Service, 1 July 2014.

…but the second reason why NZ desperately needs to be put on trial for this war crime is us, NZers, we desperately need to have our global reputation shamed and damaged.

The lack of outcry from the people of NZ to a war crime signed off by their precious John Key that killed and maimed 21 is one thing but the feral scream of Hager and Stephenson hate speaks to something far more damaged in the NZ psyche that can only be cauterised by global shaming.

To attack the investigative journalists for bringing our collective attention to a war crime is book burning level ignorance.

New Zealanders sense of identity is critically important to them. Property speculating Kiwis love to travel and enjoy the reputation being a New Zealander affords them. The only way to pop their smug little bubble of wilful ignorance on accusations of war crimes is to actually be forced to stand trial for those crimes and be found guilty of it.

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

Let’s see NZers attempt to deny that truth.

We need to be put on trial, our pettiness deserves it.

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18 COMMENTS

    • they would attack the icc what is needed is sanctions consumer boycott of nz products and travel bans

  2. Well said Martyn.

    The killing and maiming of civilian citizens was an atrocity in itself which needs investigating by an international independent source, with no affiliation to nations involved in the conflict.

    Also include and scrutinise in the same inquiry, the official cover up of events!

    Get it out there. Expose NZ’s unethical behaviour and dirty secrets to the world!

  3. I agree too. I was appalled by many comments from NZders in relation to this issue. Are we as a society as rotten as our politicians?

    • The comment threads I’ve seen on mainstream media and on social media are filled with appalling bigotry.
      What does it all mean?
      That it wouldn’t take a lot to have large numbers of our people turn into genocidal authoritarian fanatics.

    • Well Said. People who care must take action- (Patriotic as it sounds) for the honour of our nation. Key must be brought to account. He really is the smiling assasin. We are talking about the killing of innocent civilians here. This is major.

  4. Were the US military ever prosecuted for war crimes in the bombing and spraying of Agent Orange in Vietnam and Laos were supposedly 11 million people died from the bombings and health related problems related to chemical warfare used on the military and civilian populations?

    Can anyone please elaborate on this?

    I can remember vividly photographs of the Mei Lai Massacre when the US used napalm on the civilian population?

  6. The news on one TV channel tonight spent more time reporting about the new guns the armed forces now have obtained, to replace the older ones – here an older story on the purchase:
    http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11557628

    The alleged killing of civilians during that SAS attack on suspected insurgents is already being treated as lower priority news, and will just as usual (for unpleasant news) soon vanish from the reporting schedule.

    If there ever will be some kind of investigation, it is likely to be a further attempt at whitewashing, commissioned by our government.

  7. The cloak of secrecy that is allowed to exist by the military, 100% supported by this lying twisting National government, no matter who is the minister has an extremely familiar tone to it.

    I would go further and say were it not for the abysmal leadership displayed by Key down, this book wouldn’t even exist. It takes a certain rotten culture to enable what happened in Afghanistan in 2010 and onwards till we ran from the place in 2013.

    I suggest what looks very much like New Zealand’s own My Lai will only ever be successfully investigated and concluded offshore and away from the cone of silence in NZ.

  8. Martyn of course you are right.

    We are PEACEKEEPERS that is what makes the work our armed forces do so vital and earns respect and gratitude in war torn countries, that is the New Zealand approach not killing , torture, destruction and cover ups.

    As a country we MUST be held to account otherwise we will join so many others around the world that sanction and support this despicable behaviour that is somehow normal.

    Our country not that long ago stood against Apartheid, against nuclear proliferation and accepting refugees who just want peace not fear.

    If we don’t act now then how can we ever stand for anything ever again.

    The National party really must act here and forget just for once that its not ALWAYS about the money.

  10. New Zealanders have been numbed by technology/t.v. mass hypnosis with carefully worded propaganda/poisoned foodstuffs/hormone injected meats/chemtrails/fluoride and chlorine water/distracted with the running of the All Black agenda etc.,etc.
    The buck stops with the drones in the beehive and whoever headed the Military at the time and thereafter.
    In the meantime, the poor little worker bees keep their heads down gathering the honey to feed the drones back at the hive.
    We, the people, must call for an inquiry and we the people can conduct it and we, the people, can ask the Afghanistan nation for forgiveness.

    • @ Helena … Agree 100% with your comments. You go on to say …

      “The buck stops with the drones in the beehive and whoever headed the Military at the time and thereafter.”

      That would be John Key former PM and Jerry Mataperae former GCSB director and Governor General, now NZ’s High Commissioner in London! The same GCSB head and GG personally appointed by the very same former PM!

      If the government continues to hedge around this shameful issue, with either a whitewash or ignorant denials of the event, then nationwide protests must be held, keeping attention on the matter to show the world what a foul cesspit NZ has become over the years!

      This one cannot be put to rest under any circumstances!

  12. This incident needs some sunlight. Transparency is the best disinfectant, unfortunately we are aligning ourselves with regimes whose motives worldwide have questionable for a long time?

    We need to ask ourselves why are we getting involved in USA foreign policy?

    USA foreign policy has been questionable for many years especially in countries such as South America, Cuba, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, and it is about time for New Zealand to start acting as an independent nation rather than hanging of the coat tales of the USA and the UK?

    My grandfather fought in the Otago Regiments at Passchendaele in Belgium where he lost 90% of his troops in 1/2 an hour to German machine guns and friendly fire, this was equivalent to the battle for Chunnuk Bair on Gallipoli, it was the Belgium/France equivalent in 1917, as an Officer in the NZ Military he had to write letters to the families back home in NZ about the loss of their loved ones, obviously this would not have been a pleasant experience, especially when he knew many of the families personally from living in the Otago District and attending Otago Boys High School and Otago University.

    I believe this was one of the worst incidents of WW1 along with Chunnuk Bair?

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