It was made known today that the USA has requested our government to provide more troops for Afghanistan. The number being two. Our PM has said we have to be seen to be pulling our weight in the fight against terror and that the Afghani operation is a NATO exercise.

We are not part of NATO and have no quarrel with Afghanistan.

The US led operation has spent 16 years bombing the crap out of Afghanistan (men, women, children and infrastructures) to no avail. Their adversary doesn't even own a plane. What difference are our two brave Kiwis going to make?

The Manchester bombing was a direct result of NATO's devastation of Libya.

We should pull our weight to settle a military argument we never made, was consulted about and don't agree with. I think not.

When this all blew up 16 years ago, we wanted no part in it and the then Labour government kept us out of it. Subsequent National governments have got us into this position under John Key, who liked playing with the big boys and having his photo opportunities.

It is election year, let us once more have a government that judges things on their veracity, right or wrong, not just because we belong to a club.

P Dolden, Papamoa.