WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND — New Zealand will not send combat troops to battle the Islamic State (IS) group but is prepared to help boost the Iraqi military’s capacity to fight the jihadists, Prime Minister John Key said Wednesday.
Key unveiled a range of policies aimed at countering the threat from IS both at home and abroad, including boosting domestic intelligence agencies to guard against a Canada-style attack.
He said the emergence of IS, also known as ISIS or ISIL, was a “game changer” for Western nations, because it not only destabilized the Middle East but also increased the risk of domestic attacks by radicalized extremists.
Wellington was willing to play a part in international efforts to defeat the group but this did not extend to sending New Zealand troops into battle, he added.
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