Dave Martin
I fail to see the difference between selling your A4's to the Phillipinos or a military assistance programme where the A4's are presented at a token fee- sort of what we did with ex-RAN A4's in the 80's so you could maintain a semblance of an air force.
If the A4's were sold to the Phillipines, they would have been involved in offensive operations against Islamic militants in Mindanao. But that would have been OK because you made money out of the deal?
I know it's convenient to be isolationist, but Al Qaeda is no doubt aware that NZ forces were involved in the Crusader operation in Timor and New Zealand SAS soldiers are operating under American command, with borrowed airpower, conducting offensive operations in Afganistan.
I would suggest that it will be politically convenient for Al Qaeda to target New Zealand soon after/ if it strikes at Australia. Where/when New Zealand is struck will probably have origins in the Southern Phillipines.
MOR
Aren't your SAS working with RAF Harriers in Afganistan? Your Skyhawks had similar capabilities in the surface attack role.
Blowing open the airspace into Korea or Iran not a role suited for a small air force such as the RNZAF. But providing a competant air strike capability, with F16's say, useful in a myriad of roles such as regional security and possibly distant UN sanctioned operations.