Max Bradford National Defence Spokesperson

15 March 2002

PM embarrasses herself over SAS secrecy

Helen Clark's feeble admission that New Zealand's SAS troops have been in Afghanistan is an embarrassment, National's Defence Spokesman Max Bradford said today.

"The fact that the White House has released this information must be a severe embarrassment to the Prime Minister barely a week before she goes to see President Bush.

"The Australian Government briefs the public about where its SAS troops are and generally what type of mission they are involved in after the event. The least our Prime Minister could do is inform the New Zealand public of the tremendous work our troops are doing.

"Helen Clark's secrecy is only necessary because she is playing domestic politics and not wanting to risk a further split in the Government, where the Alliance and the Greens are always opposed to our involvement in the war against terrorism.

"It has reached a farcical level when she is forced to admit where our troops may have been because the White House is advising the world," Mr Bradford said.

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