New Zealand Pulled Out of Iraq...

[readmylips]

We read it last night here, posted from DoD website. It's suppose to be a 'secret withdrawal due to how dangerous Iraq has become.'

I didn't hear anything in the news about New Zealand pulling out. Did any of you? The 'coalition of the willing' are deserting, keep it a secret.

[geek tragedy]

1. What was NZ going to do , film Lord of the Rings there? n/t

[sr_pacifica]

2. No haven't heard

It would be very much in the Kiwi spirit to get out. I'm surprised, actually, that they ever got involved. I bet there was lots of Kiwis not happy with their country being there.

[napi21]

3. I haven't heard, but here's a link with some info.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0409/S00362.htm

RODNEY HIDE (Leader—ACT) to the Minister of Defence: Is New Zealand ending the involvement of our troops in Iraq; if so, why?

Hon MARK BURTON (Minister of Defence): Our engineer deployment will return to New Zealand this month having concluded the two planned 6-month deployments.

Rodney Hide: On what date was a decision made by our Government not to replace our detachment in Iraq, and was Australian Prime Minister John Howard consulted?

Hon MARK BURTON: The Government made a series of decisions that go back to 2003. The original announcement was made—I do not have the precise date in front of me—in about, I think, August 2003. The first deployment of 6 months took place in late September 2003, at which time both the Prime Minister and I made it clear that a second 6-month deployment may happen, and it did. Cabinet made that decision and announcement quite early on, and in March this year that second deployment took place. So the full 12 months has come to a conclusion, and our deployment will come home this month.