The Dutch armed forces will be permanently damaged if more cuts are made than currently planned according to the Centre for Strategic Studies in The Hague, Nos television reports.

The report says the Netherlands has a much smaller armed force than France, Belgium and Denmark in proportion to its size and spending is also much lower.
The Labour party (PvdA) included defence cuts in its election manifesto. Labour and the right-wing VVD are currently in talks on forming a new coalition government.
Costs
The report points out that the public debate on defence always focuses on cost, rather than the advantages the armed forces represent.
A new round of costs would hit training and make the Dutch armed forces less useful in international operations, researcher Rob van Wijk is quoted as saying.
According to news agency ANP, the centre said last week the Dutch defence industry has annual turnover of some €3bn a year, a workforce of 15,000 and produces 6,000 graduates a year. It also plays an important role in combating piracy and supporting the emergency services.

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