Bryan Johnson's letter on February 27 proves only that some should say nothing. This government chose to replace democracy with a dictatorship by not allowing parliament to vote on whether to send our Armed Services overseas.

John Key was arrogant and nasty in his reply to the Opposition. His belief is we uphold democracy at our risk overseas while not allowing that democratic process to work in our own country. The training of foreign troops to combat their enemy is in fact making us an enemy to others and a target.

This is not a minuscule risk to the people of New Zealand. It is endangering the lives of every person in this country because John Key wants to be a ‘player with the big boys'. He makes claims of suspects in this country, yet neither terror crimes nor arrests have been made. If there is such a threat looming, he and his henchmen have just opened the flood gates, and when hell breaks lose you can thank people like Bryan and John Key.

Training overseas troops to fight is one thing, but you have no control over what they will do when they have power. The hate inside [them] will inevitably exact pain and torture on others. Just look at the world's biggest democracies and the atrocities carried out by them.

What is happening overseas is a direct response to the West's continuous interference in overthrowing governments and leaders, and destabilising countries by use of services. For example, the CIA funded uprisings and propaganda leading to a mess they can't control. In their eyes it can only be solved by adding more fuel.

Haven't we grown up since the great Wars? Obviously not. We have been bought up with the tales of the winners and the glory, not all the facts and the truth of the atrocities, some of which we were party to. Our vision is blurred by inaccuracy. If man cannot talk to one another there is no hope for the future.

Richard Stewart, Te Puke.