Almost 50% of the Dutch are opposed to extending the Dutch mission in Afghanistan beyond August 2008, according to a poll for the Wegener newspaper group.

The death last Friday of soldier Timo Smeehuijzen was said by 55% not to be a reason to end the current mission early.
The cabinet is due to decide this summer whether to contributed Dutch troops for a longer period. The Netherlands has some 1,800 soldiers in southern Afghanistan. Seven have so far died.