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The Netherlands lands a blow to the Afghanistan coalition

Wednesday 24 February 2010

The collapse of the Dutch government and the planned withdrawal of troops should serve as a warning to Obama, writes the Los Angeles Times in an editorial.

The Netherlands has become the first NATO ally to announce that it is quitting the fight in Afghanistan, following the collapse of the center-right government over its involvement in the U.S.-led war against the Taliban.

The decision by the Dutch to pull their nearly 2,000 troops does not bode well for President Obama, who has been struggling since autumn to get Europe to increase its troop commitments. On the contrary, the administration should worry that the Dutch move will prompt other governments to reconsider their support for an unpopular war.

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