GroenLinks to block expanding Afghan police training mission
Friday 10 February 2012
Left-wing green party GroenLinks will not support the government in expanding the current police training mission in northern Afghanistan to cover border police, the Volkskrant reports on Friday.
Party leader Jolande Sap will also veto the training of police officers who will work outside the region of Kunduz, where Dutch efforts are based, her spokesman told the paper.
This means GroenLinks is 'torpedoing' prime minister Mark Rutte's chances of expanding the Dutch mission, the paper says. GroenLinks' support was crucial in winning majority support for the original plan last year.
Not enough to do
The Netherlands sent 545 soldiers and training experts to Kunduz last year to train local police officers. But the mission, which replaced Dutch military efforts in Afghanistan, has been dogged by claims there is not enough to do.
Nato has now asked the Netherlands to expand its role to training border police. GroenLinks opposes this because they will have a fighting role. The party is committed to training civilian forces only.
Last November, the Volkskrant reported the mission has cost €105m so far, and 189 Afghan police officers have gone or are going through the training programme.
Earlier stories
Afghan police training mission could be expanded
Opposition parties want answers on Kunduz
When is a civilian mission a military mission? New row over Kunduz
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It's a good idea to stay out of other countries affairs although the Taliban & extreme Islam needs to be confronted and stamped out where ever is raises its ugly head
By Phil | February 11, 2012 3:57 AM
Helping for a moral cause is the right thing to do. Letting the US to do everything is not taking responsibility
Good articles on www.ariespost.com
By David | February 13, 2012 7:07 AM
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Good for Groenlinks. we have no business there, and we need the money here in NL. seems like common sense to me. where is Rutte's common sense anyway? what a loser.
By Bill | February 10, 2012 4:08 PM