▁for ▁independence ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁IN TER F ET ▁( Intern ational ▁Force ▁for ▁East ▁Tim or ) ▁was ▁dispatch ed ▁into ▁the ▁area . ▁IN TER F ET ▁was ▁made ▁up ▁of ▁contributions ▁from ▁ 1 7 ▁nations , ▁about ▁ 9 , 9 0 0 ▁in ▁total . ▁At ▁its ▁peak , ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Def ence ▁Force ▁had ▁ 1 , 1 0 0 ▁personnel ▁in ▁East ▁Tim or ▁- ▁New ▁Zealand ' s ▁largest ▁over se as ▁military ▁deployment ▁since ▁the ▁Korean ▁War . ▁Over all ▁New ▁Zealand ' s ▁contribution ▁saw ▁just ▁short ▁of ▁ 4 , 0 0 0 ▁New ▁Zealand ers ▁serve ▁in ▁East ▁Tim or . ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁their ▁operations ▁against ▁milit ia , ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁troops ▁were ▁also ▁involved ▁in ▁construction ▁of ▁roads ▁and ▁schools , ▁water ▁supplies ▁and ▁other ▁infrastr uct ural ▁assistance . ▁English ▁less ons ▁and ▁medical ▁aid ▁were ▁also ▁provided . ▁ ▁Ira q ▁War ▁ ▁The ▁New ▁Zealand ▁government ▁opposed ▁and ▁officially ▁condem ned ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁invasion ▁of ▁Ira q ▁by ▁the ▁US - led ▁" Co al ition ▁of ▁the ▁Will ing " ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁contribute ▁any ▁combat ▁forces . ▁However , ▁in ▁accord ance ▁with ▁United ▁Nations ▁Security ▁Council ▁Resol ution ▁ 1 4 8 3 ▁New ▁Zealand ▁contributed ▁a ▁small ▁engineering ▁and ▁support ▁force ▁to ▁assist ▁in ▁post - war ▁reconst ruction ▁and ▁provision ▁of ▁human itar ian ▁aid . ▁The ▁engine