NZ may have to go to war against terrorism: Maharey

21 Sep, 2001 05:40 AM4 mins to read

By JOHN ARMSTRONG, PATRICK GOWER and SCOTT MacLEOD

A senior Government minister yesterday warned New Zealanders that "we may have to go to war" to stamp out global terrorism.

But Steve Maharey's speech in Parliament appeared designed to scotch opposition claims that the Government is lukewarm about committing military personnel to an American-led multinational force that will hunt down the perpetrators of last week's terrorist attacks in the United States.

The Prime Minister, Helen Clark, has offered the Americans enhanced intelligence-sharing and possibly a contingent of elite SAS troops.

But National and Act have been trying to create the perception that she was slow to come in behind the United States with an immediate, unconditional offer of assistance and that she prefers any response to be coordinated by the United Nations.

Mr Maharey said the Government had made it absolutely clear that New Zealand wanted to be part of any international attempt to stamp out terrorism.

Despite that, and along with other countries, New Zealand was urging President George W. Bush to be "cool, calm and collected" about what to do next.

"Instead of outdoing each other in the stakes of outrage, we should be looking at the circumstances that confront us coolly.

"We may have to go to war ... times are uncertain ... what people want from us is that we unite in common cause. It is the time to rise above divisive petty debates and be New Zealanders."

Government sources yesterday indicated the Labour-Alliance Coalition would be unhappy being one of just a handful of countries backing the United States militarily and preferred any multinational force be as broad-based as possible.

But New Zealand was expecting to come under pressure from Washington to make a symbolic, if only token, contribution.

New Zealand's response to the crisis has already drawn criticism in the US.

The furore started when the self-styled conservative website freerepublic.com picked up a story run in Christchurch's the Press newspaper on Tuesday.

The story said Helen Clark pledged intelligence support in the global fight against terrorism, but refused to enact Anzus.

The first of hundreds of angry e-mails hit the site within one minute of the story's being posted.

The first, from Doug Loss, said: "This is disgusting. Boycott anything New Zealand exports, folks."

Others called for boycotts on lamb, wine, fruit, Steinlager beer, the Lord of the Rings movie, the Xena television show, sheep (both two- and four-legged), New Zealand's "rather overbearing people" and "cowards".

A spokesman for Helen Clark said the e-mails were a hysterical reaction to an unhelpful news story.

He said it was the United States that suspended Anzus, in 1986. New Zealand had offered diplomatic and intelligence support in the hunt for terrorists and its crack Special Air Service troops were on alert.

Later e-mails to the site showed more support.

"The typical New Zealander is one tough SOB and very good friend of Americans," said one.

New Zealanders wrote in saying that our soldiers had shed blood alongside Americans many times since the Second World War and that the defence force had security measures "under review" in readiness for whatever action the Government directed in the American war on terrorism.

Military headquarters yesterday refused to answer Herald questions on whether they had begun steps to prepare for service overseas to help in any sort of "world war".

Defence Force spokesman Wing-Commander John Seward said: "We are reviewing our security procedures. Otherwise at this point in time our tasks have not changed."

Wing Commander Seward then said the chosen words had a "technical and legal meaning".

The Defence Force would not comment specifically on whether:

* Any contingency plans were in place in case of an outbreak of international conflict.

* Any parts of the Army, Navy or Air Force had been put "on notice" of possible action.

* Any current or planned operations had been put on hold.

* Any personnel had had leave postponed until further notice.

* Any changes to the role of New Zealand peacekeepers in East Timor, who patrol borders with Indonesia, an Islamic country.

British newspapers have already quoted British SAS sources as saying that the elite New Zealand SAS, based at Hobsonville, in Auckland, could be drafted into an operation to help capture Osama bin Laden's men.

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