New Zealand has extended its contribution to the US-led coalition working to uphold maritime security in the Red Sea, Defence Minister Judith Collins and Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced today.
“The decision to extend this deployment is reflective of the continued need to partner and act in line with New Zealand’s values, something we have done regularly in support of Middle East maritime security,” said Collins.
“Our deployed personnel have done an exceptional job and developed excellent experience alongside our coalition partners.”
The six New Zealand Defence Force personnel deployed in coalition headquarters will continue to work alongside partners to support the collective self-defence of ships in the Middle East region.
“The ongoing indiscriminate Houthi attacks on international shipping are illegal, against our values and continue to affect New Zealand’s economy,” said Peters.
“This decision demonstrates our support to the international rules-based system and freedom of navigation.”
New Zealand has contributed to international efforts to improve maritime security in the Middle East since the mid-1990s. There are currently up to 26 NZDF personnel deployed to various coalitions and commands in the region.
The deployment is mandated to conclude on 31 January 2025.
Image credit: Reem Aala
The coalition govt is going all out to turn NZ into a vassal state of the US!
There is no such thing as an “international rules-based system” Show us it!
It is just the US and its vassals making rules up to suit themselves as they try to continue their colonial, imperial, rascist BS.
We in the west are getting left behind as the global majority are overturning the old ways. . if Luxon, Winnie etc had half a brain between then we would join BRICS and be a neutral country
“This decision demonstrates our support to the international rules-based system and freedom of navigation.”
Riiight.
Is that the same rules-based system that lies about chemical weapons attacks, then responds to the non-existant chemical weapons attack with 100 plus cruise missiles, before the OPCW could arrive to even assess the site?
The same rules-based system that funded the white helmets and bellendcrap(belingcat) that fabricated those lies?
Is it also the same rules-based order that attacks gas pipelines in the baltic and blames terrorism?
Is this the same rules-based order that didn’t give a flying about Ukraine killing thousands of its citizens for 8 years?
I would really like to think that most of the people who voted for Peters and NZ first realise the mistake they made.
The ongoing indiscriminate Houthi attacks on international shipping are illegal, against our values and continue to affect New Zealand’s economy,” said Peters.
What about the ongoing indiscriminate attacks and slaughter of unarmed women and children in Gaza by the US armed IDF soldiers? Surely that is illegal and against our values?
NZDF are a bunch of idiotic nincompoops obviously.
Simply tragic stupidity.