Green MP Keith Locke has accused Helen Clark of being unnecessarily deceptive over the withdrawal of SAS troops from Afghanistan last year, and of hanging Bill English out to dry.
I am disappointed that this bill will probably be voted down after this second reading debate, although I am optimistic that members will be convinced during the debate to change their minds, just as
Green MP Keith Locke is accusing the Government of making soothing noises to dampen anti-war sentiment at home while carefully refraining from upsetting the White House.
The Greens will be opposing this bill. The debate has been interesting, and I appreciate the caution of some of the speakers, like Peter Dunne, about the civil liberties implications of this bill.