Comments on: Tongan Soldiers off to Afghanistan…

By: tukutau

tukutau — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 02:43:23 +0000

congratulations on argueing on issues u don’t know enough to be arguing about big ups to tonga’s contribution to the worlds war against terror…

By: Spud

Spud — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 05:25:36 +0000

I hope so too.

By: AKAUOLA

AKAUOLA — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 04:19:12 +0000

Pray my husband comes home alive and in 1 piece… he is part of the 55 that have gone to help Britain in Afghan… All these soldiers are leavinng behind wives and there kids and for what? Its not worth the pain and heart ache bring our soldiers home

By: John W

John W — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 07:14:25 +0000

I thought we were in Afghanistan.

Aren’t we in the same messy situation, swallowing the same propaganda.

I would have though any comment is relevant.

Do you mean other countries can’t tell us what to do.

That would be great.

We could run NZ to suit NZ. That hasn’t been the case since before WWII.

By: Paul 2.0

Paul 2.0 — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 06:29:17 +0000

Tongans have an interest in international affairs as well. It’s a bit condescending to assume that some politician in NZ thinks the Tongan Government should care what they think.

By: richgraham

richgraham — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 02:31:44 +0000

Carmel, is this any business of yours or NZ ? I thought Tonga was an independent nation, making up its own mind about things.
The soldiers are Tongans, not NZers. You are in parliament to represent the interests of NZers, not Tongans.
I expect they’d be offended by your comments – they’re Tongans and do what they will, its none of NZs business.
I see in the article that “Tonga soldiers served in Iraq from 2004 to 2006, and again from 2007 to December 2008.
“.
Did you make a song and dance about that ? If not why not ?
As for how much they may be paid, who cares, that’s the going rate for Tongan soldiers – want to bet its better than that for Afghan soldiers ?

By: peter

peter — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:48:31 +0000

The British Army got its butt kicked comprehensively in the 19th Century in Afganistan…

Despite all the technology and resources of our age we still cannot defeat the Taliban, they are remember fighting for their Country…And of course having the Pakistanis assisting them helps nicely too…

By: Carmel Sepuloni

Carmel Sepuloni — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 23:23:47 +0000

Only going by what I’ve read Mark M. What it comes down to is that I don’t want to see lives of our Pacific people (from across the Pacific region) lost unnecessarily.

By: Mark M

Mark M — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 22:52:58 +0000

Carmel

You have obviously researched this matter.
Can you confirm that the 30 pounds a day is the soldiers total pay and not just an extra stipend that the British military are paying over and above the soldiers normal pay rate.

By: Simon

Simon — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 22:50:02 +0000

“they will have no time to build up in-theatre operational experience, local language skills etc”

by the looks of the article they are not there to win hearts and minds. Should be good operational experience for them though, get into it, put some training into action.

There are already quite a few Tongans in the British Army, a good bunch of guys that have fitted in well from what i’ve read. Funnily enough a couple of years back at the Middlesex 7s at Twickenham the Army won, their team was virtually Tonga vs everybody else.