"Current NZ defence policy relies on the UN responding to threats to NZ security. But this may not be anything we can rely on," warns Libertarianz Defence Spokesman Robert Winefield.

Winefield was responding to reports today that 2 out of 10 of the US Army's regular divisions were unfit for war due to manpower deficiencies brought on by ongoing commitments to UN peace keeping missions. He notes that the US has always been the biggest contributor to the UN's punitive campaigns, and today's reports show how that commitment has weakened its own defences - and ours as a result.

"Of course," says Winefield, "no NZ politician will admit this. Our East Timorese adventure demonstrates they universally subscribe to the "Magnificent Seven" school of defence theory, where NZ forces ride to the aid of downtrodden third world peasants."

"But the Magnificent Seven were well equipped, and they were mercenaries," notes Winefield, "neither of which is true of our troops. Our under-equipped troops are paid by NZ taxpayers to defend NZ taxpayers. With the US military becoming increasingly stretched it is about time we brought them home, and equipped them to do so.

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