Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 12, 2006 11:58:19 GMT 12
From Stuff.co.nz, this is an interesting interview with Bruce Ferguson. I have decided to highlight a great statement from him.
More NZ forces in combat, says commander
11 March 2006
By DAN EATON
Kiwi soldiers will increasingly be sent into combat as part of "coalitions of the willing", rather than United Nations operations, New Zealand's outgoing defence chief says.
New Zealand has long been a player in peacekeeping around the world, but a focus on the Pacific and the United States-led war on terror mean most troops overseas no longer serve under the UN flag.
"Almost invariably, we will be in a subordinate role to a larger force and bringing to that force a significant niche capability," said Air Marshal Bruce Ferguson.
"Judging by the trend, that force won't be a UN force, but a multilateral force of allies ... as Americans call it, coalitions of the willing.
"The United Nations is a magnificent organisation, but it does have problems getting forces together."
That is a view that is increasingly being hinted at by the Government.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters made a similar point in a policy speech in February prepared by diplomats when he said: "Not every issue needs to wash up at the door of the United Nations.
AdvertisementAdvertisement"There is no shortage of institutions, but there is a shortage of institutions working efficiently and effectively."
Ferguson, at 56, is a 36-year veteran of the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and will step down as its chief on May 1.
He has largely succeeded in his mission to fashion a unified NZDF out of three squabbling, resource-hungry services, in the process restoring much of the political and military credibility lost during years of underfunding and decline.
The air force man's four years in the hot seat have been a painful period for the NZDF, but one from which security analysts say it has emerged as an internationally respected niche provider of combat capabilities.
"If we want to be good peacekeepers, peacemakers, we have got to be trained for combat," Ferguson said.
"Realistically we aren't contributing hugely to the UN at the moment.
"We are contributing to Nato multilateralism in the Balkans. We are contributing to the International Stabilisation Assistance Force in Afghanistan, which is an international coalition.
"We are contributing to Operation Enduring Freedom, which is an American-led coalition."
Then there are the interventions in the Solomon Islands, East Timor and Papua New Guinea.
In many areas Kiwi forces are working alongside their American counterparts, despite a longstanding spat over New Zealand's anti-nuclear policies.
Ferguson said the growing co-operation with Washington was a "mark of the times" and an indication that the world, and the nature of combat, had moved on in the past two decades.
"I have got a complete family that has been born and grown up in the era since. It is a long time ago," Ferguson said.
"The Americans do appreciate what we are doing. We are in the 21st century now. Warfare has taken a total change from the bipolar warfare of the Cold War to the multi-polar. You don't know where the enemy is going to strike next with terrorism.
"Yes, it is time to move on and let's hope in the forseeable future we do move on from that area," he said of the nuclear issue.
Ferguson said that while "more Right-wing people might disagree", the military historically had done well under Labour administrations.
"I am, and always will be, apolitical, but, having said that, historically, if you look back, Labour governments in the past have generally come up with the equipment. They may not always necessarily come up with the particular policies."
As far as acquisitions were concerned, "in the last four to five years we have, and are still, in the process of acquiring more equipment, and more expensive equipment, than any time since the end of World War 2. The record stands for itself."
Ferguson has harsh words for critics of NZDF capabilities, particularly after the Labour-led government of Prime Minister Helen Clark scrapped the air force's Skyhawk jet squadrons soon after coming to power in 1999.
"I found it disappointing and sometimes disgusting to see what the New Zealand media was saying and the Opposition spokespeople talking about how bad the air force was," he said.
"These are young men and women putting themselves in harm's way every day ... at the leading edge of professionalism anywhere."
Many critics at home had been unwilling to accept what nations around the world are coming to see, that small states need to focus on doing a few things well, rather than most things averagely, or worse, badly.
"We need to be able to take to a coalition an activity, a force, a specialisation which will be able to be used at the leading edge of the combat area, rather than achieving a flag on the table by being relegated to what we call mud moving or logistic support.
"We have achieved that, and we have achieved that well in several areas."
Deployments have included military engineers in Iraq, deminers in Mozambique and Cambodia, Special Air Service commandos in Afghanistan and infantry in East Timor.
"Those people in the world who notice these things have seen that while New Zealand only has 9500 men and women in uniform, we are actually contributing in a meaningful way around the world.
"If we can't be an asset, then we shouldn't be there."
More NZ forces in combat, says commander
11 March 2006
By DAN EATON
Kiwi soldiers will increasingly be sent into combat as part of "coalitions of the willing", rather than United Nations operations, New Zealand's outgoing defence chief says.
New Zealand has long been a player in peacekeeping around the world, but a focus on the Pacific and the United States-led war on terror mean most troops overseas no longer serve under the UN flag.
"Almost invariably, we will be in a subordinate role to a larger force and bringing to that force a significant niche capability," said Air Marshal Bruce Ferguson.
"Judging by the trend, that force won't be a UN force, but a multilateral force of allies ... as Americans call it, coalitions of the willing.
"The United Nations is a magnificent organisation, but it does have problems getting forces together."
That is a view that is increasingly being hinted at by the Government.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters made a similar point in a policy speech in February prepared by diplomats when he said: "Not every issue needs to wash up at the door of the United Nations.
AdvertisementAdvertisement"There is no shortage of institutions, but there is a shortage of institutions working efficiently and effectively."
Ferguson, at 56, is a 36-year veteran of the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and will step down as its chief on May 1.
He has largely succeeded in his mission to fashion a unified NZDF out of three squabbling, resource-hungry services, in the process restoring much of the political and military credibility lost during years of underfunding and decline.
The air force man's four years in the hot seat have been a painful period for the NZDF, but one from which security analysts say it has emerged as an internationally respected niche provider of combat capabilities.
"If we want to be good peacekeepers, peacemakers, we have got to be trained for combat," Ferguson said.
"Realistically we aren't contributing hugely to the UN at the moment.
"We are contributing to Nato multilateralism in the Balkans. We are contributing to the International Stabilisation Assistance Force in Afghanistan, which is an international coalition.
"We are contributing to Operation Enduring Freedom, which is an American-led coalition."
Then there are the interventions in the Solomon Islands, East Timor and Papua New Guinea.
In many areas Kiwi forces are working alongside their American counterparts, despite a longstanding spat over New Zealand's anti-nuclear policies.
Ferguson said the growing co-operation with Washington was a "mark of the times" and an indication that the world, and the nature of combat, had moved on in the past two decades.
"I have got a complete family that has been born and grown up in the era since. It is a long time ago," Ferguson said.
"The Americans do appreciate what we are doing. We are in the 21st century now. Warfare has taken a total change from the bipolar warfare of the Cold War to the multi-polar. You don't know where the enemy is going to strike next with terrorism.
"Yes, it is time to move on and let's hope in the forseeable future we do move on from that area," he said of the nuclear issue.
Ferguson said that while "more Right-wing people might disagree", the military historically had done well under Labour administrations.
"I am, and always will be, apolitical, but, having said that, historically, if you look back, Labour governments in the past have generally come up with the equipment. They may not always necessarily come up with the particular policies."
As far as acquisitions were concerned, "in the last four to five years we have, and are still, in the process of acquiring more equipment, and more expensive equipment, than any time since the end of World War 2. The record stands for itself."
Ferguson has harsh words for critics of NZDF capabilities, particularly after the Labour-led government of Prime Minister Helen Clark scrapped the air force's Skyhawk jet squadrons soon after coming to power in 1999.
"I found it disappointing and sometimes disgusting to see what the New Zealand media was saying and the Opposition spokespeople talking about how bad the air force was," he said.
"These are young men and women putting themselves in harm's way every day ... at the leading edge of professionalism anywhere."
Many critics at home had been unwilling to accept what nations around the world are coming to see, that small states need to focus on doing a few things well, rather than most things averagely, or worse, badly.
"We need to be able to take to a coalition an activity, a force, a specialisation which will be able to be used at the leading edge of the combat area, rather than achieving a flag on the table by being relegated to what we call mud moving or logistic support.
"We have achieved that, and we have achieved that well in several areas."
Deployments have included military engineers in Iraq, deminers in Mozambique and Cambodia, Special Air Service commandos in Afghanistan and infantry in East Timor.
"Those people in the world who notice these things have seen that while New Zealand only has 9500 men and women in uniform, we are actually contributing in a meaningful way around the world.
"If we can't be an asset, then we shouldn't be there."
