NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Budget 2025
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Kabul attack shows SAS not solution, Opposition says

NZ Herald
19 Jan, 2010 10:33 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

An attack which killed a dozen people in Kabul on Monday shows New Zealand Special Air Services' (SAS) presence in Afghanistan is not the solution to the country's problems, Opposition MPs say.

Prime Minister John Key yesterday confirmed a small group of SAS soldiers were at the scene of the attack, where Taleban gunmen and suicide bombers struck the heart of Kabul.

It triggered a battle that left three members of the Afghan security forces and two civilians dead, and 71 people wounded. Seven militants were also killed, either by blowing themselves up or by being shot dead by the security forces.

Several children were also briefly taken hostage, a security official said, in the most dramatic strike on Kabul since the Taleban laid siege to government buildings in February 2009, killing at least 26 people.

No members of the SAS were injured during their limited involvement while responding to the assault in the Pashtunistan Square at about 9.30am local time, Mr Key said.

The Labour Party did not support the latest SAS deployment, though it had sent troops to Afghanistan three times before, saying military action would not affect the outcome.

Party leader Phil Goff said he was confident in the competency and the discipline of the SAS, but it would be the competency and effectiveness of Afghanistan itself that will make a difference.

"As long as you are dealing with a regime that suffers from endemic corruption and doesn't deliver to its people, then combat forces will not be what determines the outcome in Afghanistan."

Green MP Keith Lock said the attack in Kabul poses two questions, whether SAS troops should be part of a military solution and whether risking Kiwi soldiers' lives in a commitment that isn't justified in politically-military terms.

"I think those questions are being posed more by the developments in Kabul."

"We don't want to see SAS troops killed in a deployment that isn't supported by half of the New Zealand population."

The Green Party was not in support of SAS deployment either.

New Zealand remains determined to see through its commitment in Afghanistan, Mr Key said.

He said he was commenting on the incident because the SAS involvement had been reported by journalists at the scene but he would not be making a habit of it unless similar cases arose or there were injuries.

Mr Key said New Zealand was playing a role in preventing global terrorism spreading out from Afghanistan.

New Zealand personnel in Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) were at a military base at the time and were not involved in the fighting.

The SAS is on its fourth deployment, which started in September last year and a commitment has been made to maintain about 70 personnel for up to 18 months, in three rotations.

The Government intends over time to withdraw the Defence Force's 140-strong provincial reconstruction team (PRT), which has been in Bamyan province since 2003.

- NZPA

Discover more

Opinion

Should NZ have sent its SAS troops to Afghanistan again?

20 Apr 08:50 PM
New Zealand

NZ troops uninjured in Kabul attack - Key

19 Jan 04:47 AM
New Zealand

Day at the office for SAS in Kabul

20 Jan 07:45 PM
New Zealand

Reporter describes SAS encounter

21 Jan 03:00 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New ZealandUpdated

Contractor supporting rubbish truck driver involved in fatal crash

22 May 02:03 AM
Premium
Analysis

Jenée Tibshraeny: Willis delivers 'true blue' Budget

22 May 02:00 AM
Premium
Opinion

Audrey Young: Pay equity albatross lingers for Nicola Willis

22 May 02:00 AM

The Hire A Hubby hero turning handyman stereotypes on their head

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Recommended for you
Live: What's in the Budget for you
New Zealand

Live: What's in the Budget for you

22 May 01:50 AM
Second 'run it straight' event cancelled in 24hrs, organiser cites backlash from other events
Sport

Second 'run it straight' event cancelled in 24hrs, organiser cites backlash from other events

22 May 01:37 AM
The Country: What would Chris Hipkins' Budget look like?
The Country

The Country: What would Chris Hipkins' Budget look like?

22 May 01:34 AM
Jenée Tibshraeny: Five things to watch in today's 'Reality Bites Budget'
Analysis

Jenée Tibshraeny: Five things to watch in today's 'Reality Bites Budget'

22 May 01:30 AM
'Brutal execution': Tradie gunned down outside Sydney home
World

'Brutal execution': Tradie gunned down outside Sydney home

22 May 01:22 AM

Latest from New Zealand

Contractor supporting rubbish truck driver involved in fatal crash

Contractor supporting rubbish truck driver involved in fatal crash

22 May 02:03 AM

Dansey Rd remains closed, with diversions in place on State Highway 5.

Premium
Jenée Tibshraeny: Willis delivers 'true blue' Budget

Jenée Tibshraeny: Willis delivers 'true blue' Budget

22 May 02:00 AM
Premium
Audrey Young: Pay equity albatross lingers for Nicola Willis

Audrey Young: Pay equity albatross lingers for Nicola Willis

22 May 02:00 AM
KiwiSaver subsidies halved in Budget, Best Start payments slashed, enormous $6.6b incentive for business

KiwiSaver subsidies halved in Budget, Best Start payments slashed, enormous $6.6b incentive for business

22 May 02:00 AM
Gold demand soars amid global turmoil
sponsored

Gold demand soars amid global turmoil

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search