NZSAS and prisoners of war, Maltreatment?

The NZDF in their conventional war operations within Afghanistan are there to seek out and destroy the enemy, that is their job. Regrettably that is the nature of war and in defending the rights of the vulnerable, the international community must work together by providing peacekeepers. Just as police intervene in nasty domestic incidents, our defence forces must intervene with compassion, professionalism and intelligence.

The nature of warfare is such that there will inevitable be mistakes, this is one of the many tragedies of war. The May 2002 Special Air Service mission near Bande Timur in Afghanistan resulted in several casulties including tragically a child. The selection process and dedication for New Zealand (and Australian) special forces units is extraordinary and one might propose that had this unit not been involved the casulties would have been higher. Testimony to this the remarkable fact that 55 prisoners were handed over to the Americans for holding after the action. This is nothing short of miraculous.
This being said however an investigation needs to be conducted as to the humanitarian treatment of future prisoners taken. In future prisoners should never be handed over unless the integrity of the holding facilty can be guarenteed.
Essentially this argument means that if the basis of our integrity (as peacekeepers) for which we are intervening in Afghanistan is comprimised (by the maltreatment of PW's) we should pack up and come home to rethink both who we are but what we wish to be. I.e. are we the goodies or the badies. As it stands the NZSAS are the good guys in a very bad world. Go well and keep up the great work fellas...