Hager/Stephenson reaction to Defence Force statement
Hit and Run authors say latest NZDF denials incorrect
Hit and Run co-authors Nicky Hager and Jon Stephenson stand by the facts in their book. They say the NZDF response to the book issued on Sunday night is bizarre and a continuation of seven years of cover up. It seems, they said, to be nothing more than an attempt to squirt ink in the water.
“We are absolutely confident that an SAS raid took place on 22 August 2010 where six civilians were killed and another 15 injured. We know a dozen houses were destroyed as well. We have testimony about these events from members of the SAS, Afghan commandos and people living in the villages
that were raided, Naik and Khak Khuday Dad. The SAS and villagers both talked about assaults on the same named people’s houses. It is actually impossible that the story is wrong.”
The NZDF press release is simply incorrect and implausible. To be true, it would require an identical raid by identical forces, using identical helicopters, on identical targets at the same time.
“We are shocked that the NZDF believes this is a legitimate reply to the serious and tragic revelations in the book. It looks like nothing more than people trying to evade responsibility and reinforces the need for a full and independent inquiry.”
Keating’s statement just upped the ante no end. Now somebody or some people aren’t going to come out of this very well.
Teflon John scuttled away in the nick of time.
Wayne Mapp’s changed his story so he’s looking not so bad but left his colleagues a problem.
Jerry Mateparae will be staying under cover.
Who’s going to be the fall guy?
I heard the NZDF statement on radio NZ this morning.
FFS, what kind of fools do they take us for? We need an inquiry and those responsible for these lies thrown out of the military. This has struck at the very core of our democracy.
Another NZDF cover-up for sure, as I heard today that the name of the town the NZDF said they were “involved with was actually what the whole valley area was called so it appears they are trying on another “snow job” again. They have a map to show that the name NZDF quoted was a wide area name not a town.
An independent enquiry is now warranted to get back our respect we all have now lost like what happened when lying Jonkey told us he was not involved with the “Panama papers” remember how he lost his respect from us also?
Who is running this country ?
The SAS, or the current so called Govt ?
Thought that the SAS were there to guard the army people rebuilding schools and hospitals, then to train locals but not to lead reprisal attacks. Mission creep, or JK the creep.
PROTEST!
“Not In Our Name!”
WHERE:
Defence Force New Zealand (Auckland Army Centre)
204 Great North Rd, Arch Hill, Auckland
WHEN: Monday 27 March 2017
TIME: 3.30pm -5.30pm
Whose interests are ‘OUR’ NZ SAS serving in Afghanistan?
What did the people of Afghanistan (on the other side of the world) ever do to the people of New Zealand?
Have we learned NOTHING from Gallipoli?
Decent New Zealanders want an urgent inquiry into the actions of the SAS in Afghanistan on 22 August 2010, and the subsequent NZ Defence Force ‘cover up’.
I for one, have had a total gutsful of the lies, the deceit and the ‘cover up’ that I believe goes to the highest levels of our New Zealand Government, and military.
So – today 27 March 2017
I’m ‘standing up to be counted’ – in protest!
Who can come and join me?
Penny Bright
‘Anti-privatisation / anti-corruption campaigner’.
#NotInOurName
#IndependentInquiryNow
#HitAndRun