Some 54% of the population are opposed to extending the Dutch mission in Afghanistan past next summer, according to a poll for Dutch world service radio RNW. .

Nevertheless, 65% of those polled said they expected the cabinet to extend the country’s involvement beyond the official August 2009 pull-out date.
The cabinet is due to take a decision on keeping troops in the southern provinces shortly. The Netherlands has some 1,800 soldiers with the ISAF forces in Afghanistan