NZ Defence Policy: NZ’s Afghan Commitment To Wind Down Before Election
May 12th, 2010
NZ’s military commitment in Afghanistan will be wound down well before next year’s election. Cabinet is unlikely to deviate from this decision, despite pressure exerted on John Key in Afghanistan this week to maintain NZ’s military presence for longer. The NZ Herald threw its weight behind NZ continuing beyond current mandated commitments, in order to back the Obama strategy of protection, reconstruction and economic development. But Cabinet Ministers say NZ is already in the transition phase of rebalancing NZ’s commitment from military to civilian representation, with Dick Newlands, a former Air Commodore, being named this week (although signed up several weeks ago) to become the first civilian director of the PRT in Bamyan Province.
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Foreign Minister Murray McCully says while the NZDF has helped keep Bamyan one of the most stable parts of Afghanistan “our aim has always been to bring the military home.” The PRT ends its present rotation in September, and though there is expected to be another rotation, the transition to a non-military focus will be accelerated. NZ aid for reconstruction, perhaps with a small military component, is expected to continue for at least for another 5 years. The SAS contingent of about 70 personnel is due to be maintained until March next year, and though Key said its role beyond then would be “looked at,” it is unlikely NZ will have a fighting unit in Afghanistan when NZ’s general election rolls round. There is little enthusiasm among Ministers for defending on the hustings NZ military support for the Karzai regime in Kabul.
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Duncan Cotterill