Mana Accuses Govt Of Lying Over Afghanistan

MANA says John Key has misspoken about Afghanistan combat role

MANA's foreign affairs spokesperson, John Minto, says the Prime Minister John Key owes New Zealanders an apology for claiming the SAS role in Afghanistan is "mentoring" when in reality it is a full combat role.

As Nicky Hager points out in 'Other People's Wars', the NZ Military PR department have pushed the use of the word 'mentoring' to hide the true nature of our involvement.

"This deliberate deception has been manufactured to create a smokescreen to mislead growing public concern at our decade-long commitment to fighting for the US on the other side of the war," John Minto says.

"Mana is also unimpressed with our Defence force claims the SAS were operating against terrorists when our soldier was killed. The claim from Afghanistan that it was a feud between rival families has more credibility than a defence force known more for its political spin than its honesty.

"We have seen many instances before of foreign occupiers being drawn into civil strife. For example several wedding parties have been bombed by the US and its allies because of deliberate misinformation from a rival family.

"We are propping up an illegitimate regime of warlords and drug barons. The SAS have been 10 years too long in Afghanistan.," John Minto says.

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