DutchNews.nl - Cabinet collapse: the recriminations begin

Christian Democrat and Labour politicians began blaming each other for the collapse of the government with a string of media appearances at the weekend.

Labour pulled out of the three-party coalition government in the early hours of Saturday morning following an acrimonious dispute over extending the Dutch mission in Afghanistan.

On Sunday, prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende told tv show Buitenhof it was Labour leader and deputy prime minister Wouter Bos who was to blame because he had made public the differences within the cabinet over the Afghanistan mission.

The cabinet collapsed because Labour did not have the will to solve [those differences], he said

During the interview, the prime minister accused Labour of damaging the Netherlands reputation abroad. It was 'not responsible' of the party to say it was not prepared to discuss Nato's formal request to the Netherlands to stay in Afghanistan for another year, he said.

'People do not understand what we are doing,' Balkenende said, pointing out that the Netherlands is the only country to pull out.

US president Barack Obama is currently trying to get European countries to commit more troops to Afghanistan. He has made the war a central part of his foreign policy and has said he will send thousands more American soldiers.

'If the Dutch go... that could open the floodgates for other Europeans to say, ‘The Dutch are going, we can go, too',’ Julian Lindley-French, professor of defense strategy at the Netherlands Defence Academy in Breda told the New York Times.

But aid minister Bert Koenders told the Radio 1 news later that the Netherlands' reputation had been damaged because the Afghanistan issue remained on the table so long when everyone knew the August withdrawal date was a certainty.

Labour repeatedly made its opposition to staying longer clear and there is no parliamentary majority in favour of an extended mission either.

Nevertheless, Nato formally requested the Netherlands stay on to train local troops past the August 2010 deadline in a letter earlier this month.

During his tv interview, Balkenende said Verhagen had asked Nato to make the formal request on the suggestion of Labour aid minister Koenders.

Koenders said a request from Nato was a precondition for Labour taking part in talks on the mission, Balkenende said. 'Then Verhagen said: I can arrange that,' Balkenende told the tv show. 'On February 4, the letter arrived.'

Bos said earlier this month the request to Nato had not been made in his name and that he was not involved with the Nato talks.

André Rouvoet, leader of the junior coalition partner ChristenUnie, said in a statement on Saturday the collapse of the cabinet was 'irresponsible and unnecessary'. 'Bos deliberately broke up cabinet unity,' he said.

Liberal leader Mark Rutte accused the Labour party of using the issue as a vote winner in the March 3 local elections.

He also said Balkenende had failed to show proper leadership by allowing Bos and Verhagen to fight so openly.

The Dutch community here has a saying in western Michigan about resolve and determination that has been a respected part of the American fabic: "If you're not Dutch, you're not much..."

By Holland, Michigan | February 21, 2010 9:07 PM

Hello Holland, Michigan, The Dutch are the Dutch but my generation has a different take on your stereotype, if only with the Dutch political class. Shamefully (opportunistically?) neutral in WW I: uninvolved during WW II and unprepared to support Nato achieve a long-term positive result in Afghanistan for political reasons. But good at making things easier for businessmen to make money.

By Michael Dawkes | February 22, 2010 3:09 AM

How long should NATO keep troops in Afghanistan? Until what goals are met, exactly? Should everyone follow the US into Pakistan?

Rumsfeld, Bush, Cheney, et al completely botched the initial invasion by not committing enough troops, and then exacerbated the situation by invading Iraq for no justifiable reason. So now NATO allies have to indefinitely pour resources into helping the US chase moving goal-posts to somehow fix this mess?

I know that in an autocracy like the US it is completely common-place for the government to enact and follow deeply unpopular policies--like occupying two countries with a mercenary force--but in a democracy, when people vote for something--like pulling troops out--the government responds. Calling this "political reasons" trivializes what has become unfamiliar to Americans: actual democracy.

By RC | February 22, 2010 10:10 AM

RC well said.

By Sandrav | February 22, 2010 10:43 AM

The US is cashing on the help it gave to the Europeans in WWII. You see the USA did not ask for any compensation from the Old cotenant after the war and know they are getting paid (by making the old folks to support them blindly)

I think what the Dutch government (some of them) did the right thing by saying enough is enough. Let our young boys and girls come home, we have paid our dept to the US many times over.

By Al | February 22, 2010 11:51 AM

Michael Dawkes
Uninvolved ….with 220.000 deaths and a country in ruins??
Get you’re facts right.

We were asked to go for 2 years, extended it for another 2 = commitment fulfilled.
NATO is doing the backtracking, not the Dutch.

For the right order, despite having 2 sons in the Dutch army, I’m all for staying.

By Kees2 | February 23, 2010 8:29 PM

Kees "...political class" Not the Dutch people. Big difference.

By Michael Dawkes | February 24, 2010 11:37 AM

Michael,
What's the difference? Our political class are also the Dutch people, not a different breed.

By Kees2 | February 24, 2010 6:00 PM