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notices and features - Date published:
4:20 pm, April 28th, 2016 - 11 comments
Categories: Andrew Little, iraq -
Tags: andrew little, iraq
Just back from visiting our troops on the ground in Iraq https://t.co/YHz9J7IhMP pic.twitter.com/K6kBJjQIxS
— Andrew Little (@andrewlittle_nz) April 28, 2016
The press release is here:
Andrew Little visits NZ troops in Iraq and refugees in Jordan
Opposition Leader Andrew Little has visited New Zealand troops at Camp Taji, Iraq.
Mr Little also met with Iraqi Defence Minister Khaled Al-Obedih and senior military officials from the Coalition forces in Iraq. He now heads to Jordan to see the unfolding refugee crisis first hand.
“I was invited by Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee to visit our troops at Camp Taji. I made the decision to go because it is important to see for myself the work they are doing and the conditions they are working under.
“I was pleased to see the troops are conducting themselves with the skill and professionalism you would expect of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was good to get a chance to talk to them about their experiences in Iraq.
“New Zealanders may differ on the politics of this deployment, but we are all united in our support for our troops on the ground. …
Andrew Little's been in Iraq visiting NZ troops at Camp Taji. He's now heading to the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan pic.twitter.com/Zb873O3pMz
— Newshub Politics (@NewshubPolitics) April 28, 2016
The current rise of populism challenges the way we think about people’s relationship to the economy.We seem to be entering an era of populism, in which leadership in a democracy is based on preferences of the population which do not seem entirely rational nor serving their longer interests. ...
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lol at least his kit doesn’t look in much better condition than that of the people he’s visiting, unlike when our esteemed pm did it.
Yes, all united in support for our troops on teh ground.
I hope he comes back with some original ideas for NZ foreign policy in the Middle East, about intervention, refugees, something assertive such as “wars don’t bring peace.”
Is that too much to hope for?
You’re asking CV? lol
Oh your politics on intervention, refugees etc may vary, but we can all agree that we all support our troops on teh ground!!! Right? EN ZED EN ZED EN ZED
I notice that the caps of Andrew Little and others have a KIWI symbol NOT A SILVER FERN.
Good on him.
Yea John, cause that fucking silver fern is the embodiment of EVIL after Jon Satan Fukin Key said he liked it.
Interesting that’s Andrew Little’s visit was of a quiet nature, in comparison to that of FJK, which was announced with almost a trumpet fanfare … ‘look at me, look at me, I’m visiting NZ troops in Iraq!’ In typical FJK egotistical mode, attracting attention to himself!
FYI Labour, we do not all support our troops on the ground in Iraq. That is an Americanism, a PR meme. They should not be there. Thousands and thousands of us marched against this colonial war of America’s, which is a war crime, in and of itself and were ignored. Now supposedly we are to “support ” our soldiers? What? Admire them? Call them ANZACs perhaps? NZ Soldiers are shaming themselves and us by their involvement whatever little branding logo they wear on their caps. If you really opposed them going, Labour, you would not go looking for war porn shots to make your leader look more manly. Bottom line Labour….if it was morally wrong for them to go then it is wrong for them to stay.
Listened to this fascinating interview by Brian Crump with a chap who has written a book on how the world’s military have been and still are giving their troops all sorts of drugs to desensitize them, give them courage, make their reactions faster and basically be better at killing. For the ancient Greeks it was wine. During World War II both the German and the Allied soldiers were stoked to the eyeballs with amphetamines which is the drug of choice for contemporary wars. Cocaine was common during World War I, mixed with rum. Montgomery gave out 100,000 pills before the battle of Al Alemien so that means New Zealand soldiers were popping their version of “P” while fighting along with everyone else. Obviously it is still going on today in all theatres of war. As the author points out, this is something that is barely acknowledged but is an integral part of all war environments. I wonder if New Zealand’s troops are given amphetamines when fighting.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/nights/audio/201798782/shooting-up-drugs-and-war
Syria’s war is being fueled by a drug called Captagon
“A powerful amphetamine tablet based on the original synthetic drug known as “fenethylline,” Captagon quickly produces a euphoric intensity in users, allowing Syria’s fighters to stay up for days, killing with a numb, reckless abandon.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/11/19/the-tiny-pill-fueling-syrias-war-and-turning-fighters-into-super-human-soldiers/