Goff on spies in Afghanistan
September 11th, 2009 at 4:03 pm by David FarrarToday’s Herald headline is “Goff reveals role of spies in war zone“:
Labour leader Phil Goff has revealed the spies the Government has secretly been sending to the war in Afghanistan are used to alert New Zealand troops to potential threats. …
Mr Goff, a former Minister of Defence and Foreign Affairs when Labour sent the spies, said: “You would expect New Zealand, if it has troops on the ground as it has in the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Bamiyan to want to be alerted to any potential threat that might exist for them.”
His comments are reported without any criticism. Now compare that to this story from October 2007, also from the Herald headline “Key’s gaffe reveals spies role“:
National Party leader John Key last night tried to defend himself over an embarrassing gaffe in which he revealed that he had a Security Intelligence Service briefing ahead of this week’s dramatic police raids. …
But last night Mr Key insisted he had not breached any long-standing protocols in revealing that he had been briefed by the SIS.
So I a a bit confused that when John Key as Opposition Leader comments that the SIS briefed him on a domestic issue, this is headlined a “gaffe” and “embarrassing” while Phil Goff commenting on what the SIS or GCSB are doing in Afghanistan doesn’t attract any negative comment at all from the Herald?
I should make it clear that I don’t regard the comments of either Key in 2007 or Goff in 2009 as a massive issue, but I am puzzled by the significant disparity in how they were reported.
Related posts:
- Goff wrong on SIS briefing
- Goff keeps digging
- Not even PSA backs Goff
- Goff still can not admit he is wrong
September 11th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
“Goff reveals role of spies in war zone“:
Bloody idiot Goff & reporters, just what our services folk needed, blurb to illuminate them as targets.
Not to mention the subversives here in good old NZ.
Wankers, tossers and plonkers.
(I give myself 30 demerits)
Vote:September 11th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
I am glad you posted this. I believe this is a security blunder that may cost NZers their lives if they find themselves in the hands of the Taliban. They will say thanks to Goof that “you are a spy” and shoot them.
Vote:September 11th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Come now DPF, that’s a bit disingenuous. You know exactly why there is a significant disparity – because the media are a bunch of commie lefty sycophants.
Vote:September 11th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
On today which is 9/11 goff goes on attacks on this topic.
Great timing goff you fool.
Vote:September 11th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
I am stunned Goff made these comments at all. Whilst it is hardly a surprise it is very very poor form to confirm anything regarding intelligence gathering to the enemy. It puts lives at risk.
NZ, and the NZ media, need to grow up and return to the “no comment on security issues” approach. And stick to it.
Vote:September 12th, 2009 at 12:06 am
What we need to do is end this ridiculous bullshit practice by which the Labour opposition are allowed access to intelligence reports.
They can’t be trusted to handle lightbulbs, for fuck’s sake, how can we trust them with the lives of our boys fighting for democracy?
Goff should be legally liable for the deaths he will cause. At the very best he needs to be deprived of his seat on the Intelligence Committee and replaced by an MP who actually cares about New Zealanders. I believe the National caucus has plenty.
Vote:September 12th, 2009 at 12:58 am
‘Gaffe prone’ was the media’s favourite term when referring to Don Brash. Why… because he walked along a friggin plank.. or had trouble getting into a stock car. What utter shit.
Goff on the other hand screwed up big time trying to entrap John Key with the whole ‘beautiful women’ thing. Goff’s debating style is nothing but simulated anger. His trustworthiness is melting away, and I started from a position of giving him the benefit of the doubt. Yet the media seem to be giving him a free ride.
Vote:September 12th, 2009 at 1:10 am
Although the media had reported on the story already, Phil probably should have given this one a pass. He was probably trying to show how Labour in government were committed to PRT security. The reality is that in all likelihood NZ has one (military intel) person detached to liaise with Allied ISAF intel and local Afghan intel in Bayman, with the other (GCSB or SIS) doing tactical SIGNIT work. These jobs are important for upskilling the operators, several of whom would have been rotated through Afghanistan since the initial deployment. This is “real time” and “live fire” trials for them, which is an essential component of their professional training and which wll be valuable in the event NZ forces need to conduct future unsupported security operations abroad.
It may not increase the risk to the PRT itself, at least not as much as the bomb photo did. But it could increase the risk to the individual operative on the ground in Bayman, because if he is not doing pure ISAF liaison work and is actually doing a NOC role (posing as something other than a govt agent), then the chances of exposure just increased with the revelation that he is in Bayman in support of the PRT. If I was a civilian aid worker in Bayman who is an Afghan-born naturalised NZ citizen, or a naturally born Kiwi, I would be a wee bit concerned about my security at the moment (if nothing else because the local Afghan community in NZ has individuals who oppose the ISAF mission and may feel inclined to pass along the information about the intel agents to like-minded folk back in their home country).
That is why I agree that Mr. Goff made the wrong call on this.
The Key Urewera briefing comparison is spurious because the latter involved the very dubious invocation of the TSA against NZ citizens and permanent residents who were not in a hostile combat zone and who had not committed any acts of violence against anyone (unless you think that Valerie Morris parading naked or Tame Iti baring his arse is violence against unsuspecting eyes). That is a far cry from conditions in Afghanistan, which makes all the more onerous Mr. Goff’s decision to talk about it. I suspect he let partisan politics get the better of his good judgement on this one.
Vote:September 12th, 2009 at 8:42 am
(unless you think that Valerie Morris parading naked or Tame Iti baring his arse is violence against unsuspecting eyes).
Gee thanks for the mental picture!
Vote:September 12th, 2009 at 9:53 am
Goff revealed that … the spies’ job is to detect incoming threats? Really? Knock me down with a feather!
I’m gonna predict tomorrow’s news:
WELLINGTON Green Party co-leader Russel Norman revealed today that the government employs staff in the Meterological Service to predict the weather.
“I want to know if I should be cycling to parliament or taking the bus, and these reports help me make that decision.”
Norman did not reveal any details of how the Met Service makes these predictions, or precisely which weather formations and satellite images they study.
Vote:September 12th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Goffs continual gaffes, only serve to reinforce my decision to take my vote away from labour last election, for the 1st time.
This one is a beauty.
I wouldn’t mind betting that Goff aint the flavour of the month in any military mess hall.
Not bright to put the risk takers further at risk phil.
Vote:September 12th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
> Whilst it is hardly a surprise it is very very poor form to confirm anything regarding intelligence gathering to the enemy. It puts lives at risk.
Since when did the left see the Taliban as the “enemy”?
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