Why is John Key covering up for American murderers?

Last night, Native Affairs screened an important piece by Jon Stephenson investigating the aftermath of a 2010 revenge raid by the SAS in Afghanistan in which civilians were killed (apparently by a trigger-happy US helicopter crew). Our government has consistently refused to acknowledge any civilian deaths during the raid, despite the Afghan Human Rights Commission and their own ISAF allies reaching the opposite conclusion. Its pretty obviously a self-serving position designed to protect the reputation of the NZDF and toady to its American "friends", who define any dead Afghan as an "insurgent" (meaning civilian casualties are zero by definition). But the result is that then-defence Minister Wayne Map and now Prime Minister John Key (who signed off on the mission) have lied to us about our military's involvement in civilian deaths.

When given a choice between believing John Key, who wasn't there, and the Afghans who were and have the photos of the dead and scars on their bodies to prove it, I think its a no-brainer. Our government should acknowledge its role in this war crime. And it should acknowledge the dead and compensate their families. Its the lest we can do. And if we don't, we can blame John Key when the terrorists come knocking.