The decision to commit NZ military contingent to Iraq is a case of misguided foreign policy.
During its recent successful UN Security Council campaign, NZ extolled its independent foreign policy. It emphasised the country belongs to no formal alliance, grouping or association with first claim upon NZ's allegiance as
Prime Minister John Key announcing the Government's decision over Isis in Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Opinion
The implications of 143 NZ Defence Force personnel on a mission to train Iraqi troops to fight Isis (Islamic State, Isil) was the subject of a forum at Parliament last night, organised by foreign affairs specialists Diplosphere.
Among the respected commentators presenting their views were Robert Ayson (professor of Strategic Studies at Victoria University), Terence O'Brien (former diplomat and senior fellow at Victoria's Centre for Strategic Studies) and Professor Robert G Patman (a professor of international relations at Otago University.)
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