NZ stance the same, Hager tells Alliance

By AUDREY YOUNG

The so-called War on Terror is a repackaging of the Cold War, says researcher and author Nicky Hager.

He believed New Zealand would join any conflict in Iraq.

"The idea that New Zealand has become a more peaceful, peace-making place is a fiction," he said as a guest speaker to the Alliance conference in Wellington.

While debate raged in New Zealand over the scrapping of the Skyhawks or what piece of equipment to buy, the fundamentals had not changed.

Underpinning all security policy was New Zealand's involvement in a five-nation alliance of the United States, Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

It was an older and much more important grouping than the Anzus alliance and was "the defining feature decade after decade in everything that happens in New Zealand's security policy".

New Zealand belongs to about 50 five-nation working groups and all planning was discussed at them: what sort of planes to buy, maintenance, weaponry, training, rules of engagement.

Receiving the greatest attention recently had been the integration of communications control and command systems needed to fight a war.

"You never hear this in the defence debates. That's because they're quite happy in Parliament for people to argue about what kind of armoured personnel carriers we buy or how many frigates we need.

"But the important part of the military, the long-term agenda, is to maintain its availability as a contribution to the allied forces."


Herald feature: Iraq