Defence Minister's nephew killed in Afghan ambush

Defence Minister's nephew killed in Afghan ambush

www.nzherald.co.nz

Defence Minister Phil Goff's nephew was one of six United States soldiers killed in an ambush in Afghanistan on November 10.

Mr Goff said today his nephew Lieutenant Matthew Ferrara was serving with the United States Army when he was killed in an action in East Afghanistan...

(visit the link for the full news article)

I wonder what the Father is going to do about this, being so high in the government.

And to anyone who knew Matthew Ferrera, I am very sorry for your loss. and to the other 5 people, I am sorry for your losses as well. Hopefully you all served your country well.

www.nzherald.co.nz
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 12-11-2007 by Nyte Angel]

Good story here, right on!

This popped out at me when I read your linked article...

Mr Ferrara is the first New Zealand citizen killed while serving in an armed forces role in Afghanistan. Several New Zealand Defence Force soldiers have been injured.

www.nzherald.co.nz...

It sounds like a sacrifice, in a way. The nephew of the Defense Minister is the FIRST NZ soldier to be killed in Afghanistan? What, did they just get there? No disrespect intended, I'm just saying if NZ has been there for the course of the UN occupation and only lost one soldier and several injured, they have to be a blessed army. It's a rough place.

Flagged,
Cuhail

Ya, I'm not to sure myself. Maybe the strategy of the New Zealanders is very planned out compared to us? It's a mystery till we find out. If I find anymore on this topic, Ill make sure to post it.

Maybe the CIA killed him to get support from New Zealand for their wars. Just throwing it out there as a theory. It would fit with how they like to do things.

Yes that could work, but do you really think they would go to such drastic measures by killing a defense Minister's child? Seems like maybe there getting desperate for support so that they wont be as weak.

reply to post by Nyte Angel


Killing a couple of people to get support from an entire country for their wars? Of course they would. Heck, on 9/11 they killed 3000 people to get support for their wars. This would be nothing compared to that.

Everyone can research the CIA history if they dont believe me. This is what they do.


[edit on 12-11-2007 by Copernicus]

Originally posted by Cuhail

Good story here, right on!

This popped out at me when I read your linked article...

Mr Ferrara is the first New Zealand citizen killed while serving in an armed forces role in Afghanistan. Several New Zealand Defence Force soldiers have been injured.

www.nzherald.co.nz...

It sounds like a sacrifice, in a way. The nephew of the Defense Minister is the FIRST NZ soldier to be killed in Afghanistan? What, did they just get there? No disrespect intended, I'm just saying if NZ has been there for the course of the UN occupation and only lost one soldier and several injured, they have to be a blessed army. It's a rough place.

Flagged,
Cuhail

It says he's the first NZ citizen, not soldier. The force there is fairly small compared to deployments by the UK and US. There's the reconstruction team (forget their name now) and the SAS Group outfit doing their thang.

I would also add that our soldiers there are in a primarily non-warfighting role, though of course they're tooled up and whatnot.

Originally posted by Copernicus

Maybe the CIA killed him to get support from New Zealand for their wars. Just throwing it out there as a theory. It would fit with how they like to do things.

Doesn't make any sense. They'd be better off killing someone within New Zealand- that way they can put out the "we got him, in your own country, right on your doorstep" type message.

Maybe the SAS got him, to show that the families of government officials from NZ actually go these warzones in an armed forces capacity , unlike some other countries congressmen and such ...

reply to post by DeltaNine


what he was saying is that it was a covert op the CIA kills him and blames it on the terrorists to garner support for the cause. i dont think america currentyl has any problems with new zealand so if it was a spook it wouldnt have been directed to harm new zealand.

reply to post by Gun Totin Gerbil


I'm probably going to feel dumb after, but what does 'SAS' mean?

Deltanine is thinking clearly. The smart to do would have been to do it at NZ and frame afghan for the murder(not that killing him was good). These are all just theories as you know. So if any of you have ideas, please post.

reply to post by Nyte Angel


Its part of the the british elite forces - Special Air Service. Like the American Delta Force, Navy Seals or similar I would assume.



[edit on 12-11-2007 by Copernicus]

Ok, I get it now. Thank you Copernicus, you are a very big help . So if I am to understand this correctly, SAS is a form of army like you said ok gotcha.

Thanks for the post Nyte Angel.
The New Zealand forces posted in Afganistan are primarily 'Peacekeeping' role, although the Special Air Service get 'involved' as said above 'doing their thang!"
In a report on our local TV3 news tonight the following:

"New Zealand has suffered its first casualty in the war in Afghanistan.

24-year-old Matthew Ferrara is the nephew of New Zealand Trade Minister Phil Goff, the child of Goff's sister who is married to an American and living in Los Angeles.

Ferrara was one of six troops killed when their foot patrol was ambushed in Nuristan, in the mountains of Eastern Afghanistan.

Ferrara's foot patrol was returning from a meeting with village elders in Nuristan province when militants attacked them with rocket propelled grenades and gunfire.
The US military are calling it a vicious, sophisticated attack.

The 24-year-old was born in the US but has New Zealand citizenship through his mother.

Goff attended his nephew's graduation from West Point Military School in May. Now, less than six months later, he is returning for his funeral.

In a statement goff said: "we were proud of matthew's achievements as a scholar and an athlete, but most of all he was a decent young man loved by his family."

The prime minister has given Goff special leave to be with his family.

"It's a very tragic situation for the families of all those involved and very, very distressing for Mr Goff and his family," says Clark.

Ferrara's death brings the total number of us troops killed in Afghanistan this year to 101, making it the most violent against Americans since they invaded six years ago.

The attack came on the eve of Remembrance Day, a day when tribute is paid to those who have given their lives in the service of their country.

In London tens of thousands of crosses were laid to represent a loved one who went to war and never returned.

Ferrara is now one of them.

Flags at the US embassy in Wellington are at half mast tonight while Goff prepares to join his family in Los Angeles."

www.tv3.co.nz... leID=39007

I hope this helps.
A big salute to ALL our troops over there.

ps: In relation to the US/CIA etc wacking him?, have the US forgiven us for not letting in the nuke subs and surface ships - I don't think so! BUT Ferrara was serving under the US flag!

H



[edit on 12-11-2007 by Havalon]

www.scoop.co.nz...

www.wsws.org...

These links ^^^ are just for a bit of background about our (NZ) involvement 'over there'.

The only reason I can see this making news here is the kin-link with our Defence Minister. I don't see this as a CIA plot, just bad luck by them and good planning by the insurgents (no disrespect meant, just reiterating what I had heard on the Radio (Radio New Zealand National) www.radionz.co.nz...

but of course, it was more in-depth on the wireless! Apparently it was a 'good' place for an ambush, with steep sides and heavily wooded and they had rpgs (which did most of the damage) as well as AKs etc.

(As an aside, I wonder what our Government will think of their involvement when they find out that the 'war on terror' was fabricated?).

[edit on 12-11-2007 by AotearoaSon]

[edit on 12-11-2007 by AotearoaSon]

reply to post by Copernicus


How about every American soldier killed in Afghanistan was perpetrated by the CIA, just to throw in that theory.

reply to post by Gun Totin Gerbil


I don't really understand that logic of having supposedly British SAS go around killing a Defense Minister's nephew just to show people that some politician's relatives has contributed to the war effort.