A number of cables from the Wikileaks website reveal the importance the US attaches to its relationship with the Dutch, the Guardian newspaper reports.

‘With the EU divided and its direction uncertain, the Dutch serve as a vital transatlantic anchor in Europe,’ one cable dated August 2005 said.
‘Dutch pragmatism and our similar world-views make the Netherlands fertile ground for initiatives others in Europe might be reluctant, at least initially, to embrace. Coaxing the Dutch into the spotlight can take effort, but pays off royally.’

JSF
The cables also talk about the problems surrounding the joint strike fighter jet and links that project to Afghanistan.
‘The JSF debate in the Netherlands remains politically charged, with the parliament nearly scuttling Dutch participation in JSF,’ according to a cable from September 2009. ‘The Dutch ministry of defence is using the successes of the JSF in Dutch industry as an argument to keep the JSF in the Netherlands.’
The Netherlands has agreed to buy one test aircraft and has put off a decision about buying more until after 2012.

Posturing
And a cable from February 2010 on the fall of the Dutch government blames ‘posturing’ over Afghanistan for the collapse.
‘Our efforts now turn to supporting foreign minister Verhagen’s search for a future Dutch mission in Afghanistan that will make a significant contribution to Nato requirements, the cable said.