New Zealand Prime Minister John Key announced plans Tuesday to send 143 non-combat troops to Iraq in a mission to help train special forces in the fight against the Islamic State. Key told parliament New Zealand had “an obligation to support stability and the rule of law internationally.” The deployment is likely to start in May and would not last more than two years, Key said. The personnel will be based with Australian troops at Taji Camp, north of Baghdad. Key also announced plans to appoint a new ambassador for counterterrorism.
