12.21.2004
On The Contemporary Nature Of Just Wars (Scoop.co.nz)
Paul G. Buchanan
12-19-04
Revelations that the SAS detachment to Afghanistan received a US presidential unit citation for its actions as part of the multinational task force supporting nation-building and counter-terror operations in that country have occasioned varying responses from the New Zealand political spectrum. On the one hand, conservative commentators wax poetic over the great job the boys of the SAS are doing in the war on terror. That may be true, but in reality presidential unit citations are relatively minor honours given as standard procedure for the successful completion of assigned operational tasks, in this case within the boundaries of a larger coalition mandate that involves military forces from several nations (and not, as some have said, for the individual accomplishments of the NZSAS). Thus pride in the SAS may be over-inflated given the realities of the situation, although it certainly should reaffirm public faith in the competence of New Zealand’s best fighting force. Not surprisingly, given the NZSAS track record, conservatives call for the New Zealand commitment of combat troops to be extended to the “other” war on terrorism, in Iraq, in what they see as an extension of the just fight against global Islamicism.
In contrast, left-leaning observers point to the Labour government’s apparent embarrassment at news of the commendation, denouncing it as evidence of New Zealand complicity in the “dirty” war conducted by the US military in Afghanistan. For these pundits the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq are equivalent, both being instances of US imperialist aggression against the civilian populations of selectively targeted failed states. This is why they believe the government should be ashamed about New Zealand involvement in Afghanistan (and its recently concluded operational deployment of military engineers to Basra). In their mind the overseas combat force commitment (as opposed to peace-keeping duties) should be reduced, not expanded.
Both views are wrong because they fail to address the nature of just and unjust wars in the contemporary geo-strategic context.
(More ... Scoop: On The Contemporary Nature Of Just Wars) ¶ 19:24
12-19-04
Revelations that the SAS detachment to Afghanistan received a US presidential unit citation for its actions as part of the multinational task force supporting nation-building and counter-terror operations in that country have occasioned varying responses from the New Zealand political spectrum. On the one hand, conservative commentators wax poetic over the great job the boys of the SAS are doing in the war on terror. That may be true, but in reality presidential unit citations are relatively minor honours given as standard procedure for the successful completion of assigned operational tasks, in this case within the boundaries of a larger coalition mandate that involves military forces from several nations (and not, as some have said, for the individual accomplishments of the NZSAS). Thus pride in the SAS may be over-inflated given the realities of the situation, although it certainly should reaffirm public faith in the competence of New Zealand’s best fighting force. Not surprisingly, given the NZSAS track record, conservatives call for the New Zealand commitment of combat troops to be extended to the “other” war on terrorism, in Iraq, in what they see as an extension of the just fight against global Islamicism.
In contrast, left-leaning observers point to the Labour government’s apparent embarrassment at news of the commendation, denouncing it as evidence of New Zealand complicity in the “dirty” war conducted by the US military in Afghanistan. For these pundits the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq are equivalent, both being instances of US imperialist aggression against the civilian populations of selectively targeted failed states. This is why they believe the government should be ashamed about New Zealand involvement in Afghanistan (and its recently concluded operational deployment of military engineers to Basra). In their mind the overseas combat force commitment (as opposed to peace-keeping duties) should be reduced, not expanded.
Both views are wrong because they fail to address the nature of just and unjust wars in the contemporary geo-strategic context.
(More ... Scoop: On The Contemporary Nature Of Just Wars) ¶ 19:24
