DutchNews.nl - Army officers ‘amazed' at Afghanistan crisis

Army officers ‘amazed' at Afghanistan crisis

Friday 19 February 2010

Top army officials and union bosses in both the Netherlands and Afghanistan have reacted fiercely to the government crisis over Afghanistan police and what they call the ‘party political manoeuverings’ of the Labour party, writes the Volkskrant on Friday.

They resent the fact that the achievements of the mission and the interests of the Afghan people have not played any part in the discussions. Many officers are in favour of continuing a downscaled mission in the area, the paper writes.

‘The men on the ground are continuing with the business in hand because there’s not really anything they can do’, one officer is quoted as saying. The main worry for the taskforce at the moment is the effect on its territory of the big ISAF attack in neighbouring Helmand.

Former army commander Dick Berlijn says that to call the Dutch involvement in Afghanistan a purely military operation is to diminish what the army has done in Afghanistan and an insult to the ministry of defence.

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Readers' comments

Oh well... it politics as usual... the only consequences Politicians care about is the outcome of the next vote while the Dutch electorate are too busy thinking about their next beer - neither bothers understanding the issues and what's truly at stake.

By Buzzer | February 19, 2010 7:01 PM

Truly at stake is the opium/heroin harvest. Holland has taken a liberal approach to drugs and want to regulate, decriminalize them. The USA and especially the UK want to keep the business going as is. Since the attack on Afghanistan in 2001 the opium production has grown enormously. Before the Taliban had it under control, that can not be tolerated by the real drug dealers. In the US/UK populations are the greatest numbers of heroin/opium addicts. There is no oil in Afghanistan remember. Holland should stay just to see what the real criminals are doing with the opium harvests.

By Captain Zen | February 19, 2010 10:54 PM

Afghanistan> haven to world wide heroin production and terrorists!
The Dutch military has made great improvements to locals safety and helped improve the lives of all those in this war torn region who seek only peace.
If the government pulls out-you give international terrorists a green light to kill many many more-anywhere in the world!
What if alQaida were to attack the Netherlands directly-like they did to the USA on 09-11-2001?
Perhaps the people in Holland would see the light-we as a world body must not give in to terrorists!
Pull out-face a global threat..
Its your future!
Act wisely!

By rob2tall | February 20, 2010 5:02 AM

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