Three Kiwi soldiers dead in Afghanistan

21/08/2012 8:43:02 p.m.

Inia Sutherland wrote:

Im so truly sorry :(

21/08/2012 4:55:07 p.m.

Time Traveller wrote:

May they rest in peace and their families draw strength knowing they did their best to make a difference and leave this world a better place. Thank you for your sons and daughters. God Bless.

21/08/2012 3:07:01 p.m.

wil wrote:

For reporters and the general public to suggest that the SAS should redeploy is a laughable! Needing to use special forces to 'protect' trained soldiers would insinuate that the army itself is joke and needs to be wrapped in a protective blanket every time they're deemed to be in danger. Do you see the British or Americans calling in their special forces whenever one of their thousands of casualties occur? No, of course you don't, as they are professional soldiers and they expect to be trusted with enough guts and skill to do what soldiers do best, fight. I may have only served in the NZDF for 3 years after 12 years in the British airborne forces, but I'm pretty sure kiwi soldiers would love to be given the chance to prove themselves as the allied troops fighting and dying in the Helmund Province are doing on a daily basis and no longer mollycoddled as if they were conscripts who were somewhere the didn't choose to be!

21/08/2012 2:39:27 p.m.

Lloyd Liutai wrote:

Witnessed first hand the cost of this war as we unloaded a fallen Marine Captain last week from Afganistan....let's finish the mission and let them Govern their own country!!.......how many more will fall before it's over.?.

21/08/2012 12:24:11 p.m.

Thomas wrote:

I now hear that the kiwis are planning a retaliatory strike or strikes against the Taliban. This will prove to be a complete waste of time & will probably only harden the resolve of the Taliban, & it should also be remembered that the Russians tried for many years to beat & gain the upper hand on the Taliban with probably hundreds of thousands of so-called retaliatory strike, mostly helicopter gunships but had to call it a no win situation before eventually withdrawing, & whats more those local Taliban no their rugged territory so much better than their foreign enemy.

21/08/2012 5:15:59 a.m.

Tony Gonzales wrote:

My condolences to the Families of these Kiwi Soldiers. I haven't the words to express my gratitude for having your country stand with us in the fight against terrorism. My heart and prayers go to their families. My Father a former Sgm retired with the %th Special forces and I a former Para debated the issue as to who actually paid the ultimate sacrifice. Dad believes it is the soldier who gives their lives. I belelieve it's the families. They have to somehow find the strength to endure the pain which never goes away. Either way, blessed are we to have your support and I pray these families can find the strenght day to day to endure the unimagineable. Will always be grateful to have the Kiwi's as member of the civilized world.

20/08/2012 5:51:46 p.m.

Gary wrote:

@RD never heard such nonsense. Sorry for the loss but if that is your insight then you deserve it. You say "Luke would be happy that he died" get real mate and that he was an excellent soldier with exceptional soldier skills - well not good enough then! As a Tax paying NZer I feel I have the right to my say on this thread also and that is STOP paying millions of dollars into a pointless war that has nothing to do with us. We are just expendable puppets for the US. @MIST The foreign troops are our own? And yes these soldiers are terrorists to the fighters on the other side! US have created this B/S war and now NZ troops are dying tidying up the mess. We will never stop this it can only be settled by the Afghans. War breeds war and it is clear from RD that all the NZ soldiers want to do is go and kill people. I would prefer them to be rebuilding Christchurch and making a real difference to NZ. These will not be the last to die!

20/08/2012 4:17:37 p.m.

Thomas wrote:

Given that the Taliban are reported to be hunting down & targeting our Kiwis, the only decision has to be to bring our troops home & fast or keep on hearing in our news that there have been more kiwi deaths.

20/08/2012 2:18:57 p.m.

Brent Smith wrote:

Keep calm and carry on with doing the job. Our troops are trained and accept the difficulties they face. Let them get on with the task at hand. No knee jerk reactions are needed. Instead we must honour the fallen, support their families and the troops who they fought with. That is the Kiwi way!

20/08/2012 1:53:30 p.m.

Brenda wrote:

R.D why do you and your military friends want to fight an American war? American's are the biggest war mongers on the planet. They have been killing in Afghanistan since 2001. They shouldn't be there, and we shouldn't be supporting them.