Posted on 02/02/2006 6:14:49 PM PST by Cornpone
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch lawmakers on Thursday voted in favour of sending up to 1,400 troops to Afghanistan after being pressed by NATO allies to join their deployment in the country's south and allow some U.S. forces to withdraw.
"The bill has been accepted," the parliamentary speaker said after observing that the largest parties had voted in favour.
The decision helps NATO expand its forces in the country. It was delayed from last year because of reservations within the Netherlands, but NATO, UN and Afghan leaders have pleaded in recent days for Dutch support for the mission.
"The cabinet wants our soldiers to contribute to security and reconstruction in Uruzgan. I have seen that there is very broad support in parliament so the mission can go ahead," Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said at the end of the debate.
The government will take the formal decision to send troops on Friday after a cabinet meeting.
With political and social unease disturbing the usually placid Netherlands, and a sluggish economy, the Dutch have been turning inward, away from a tradition of international participation.
"One of the coalition parties said it was against the Bush, Blair and Balkenende axis. This is worrying from an international point of view as it means that the government does not, in fact, have a majority," said political scientist Andre Krouwel of the Free University of Amsterdam.
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, a Dutchman, urged his country to send troops, as did UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Afghan Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah, speaking in The Hague on Monday.
The main parties in the centre-right government want more Dutch soldiers to join troops from Britain and Canada to help NATO expand into southern Afghanistan this year, allowing some U.S. forces fighting the Taliban to withdraw.
OPPOSITION SUPPORT
The opposition Labour Party, the second biggest party, helped sway the vote with its backing of the mission.
"If the risk is a return to repression and the terror of the Taliban, and there is a chance of success then we should not be afraid of this mission, even if it will be difficult," party leader Wouter Bos said in parliament in The Hague.
The liberal D66, the smallest party in the coalition that is trying to boost its flagging profile ahead of a 2007 election, voted against the mission, but said it would support Dutch troops when they were in the field.
The party had argued reconstruction would not be possible in the unstable central province of Uruzgan.
"Is this, in fact, not simply a terrorism-fighting mission disguised as a reconstruction effort and thus limited in its ability to act?" D66 parliamentarians said in an open letter.
The Socialists and the Greens also voted against.
The Dutch have been reluctant to take on risky military engagements since the Srebrenica massacre in 1995.
Lightly armed Dutch UN soldiers lacking air support were forced to abandon the Srebrenica enclave in Bosnia to Bosnian Serb forces, who then killed up to 8,000 Muslims who had hoped to be protected by the Dutch troops.
A small group of demonstrators stood outside parliament, one wearing a mask representing U.S. President George W. Bush and holding a puppet representing Balkenende.
At his feet lay a dozen dolls made to look bloody and bullet-riddled. "This will only make more Guantanamo Bays and won't help peace," he said, referring to the U.S prison camp.
Britain and Canada are the other main contributors to the enlarged force, and alliance officials have acknowledged it would be hard to plug any gap left by the Dutch. No-one was immediately available at NATO to comment on the outcome.
I think I saw those protesters because I live around the corner. It was only a handful though. I'm pleased that such a large majority in parliament decided to support this.
It seems that historical events are painting a picture as powerful as anything by van Gogh (or his descendants).
Spine first, then a larger set of n*ts.
This makes me wonder whether the uproar over the cartoons isn't more deep seated than we all might think. Sides are being taken and the Dutch are growing a set perhaps as things begin to escalate/percolate at home.
They're mand and want to rack up some rag head body count.
Two observations.
1. If you are going to be in a fight for your (way of) life, you may want some combat tested troops on your side.
2. If you are going to be in a fight for your (way of) life, you may want a powerful friend (US) on your side.
I once read that two dominate cultures can not exist in one society, conflict always occurs. With the immigration of so many Muslims into Europe, who have no interest in adjusting to the western ways, conflict is inevitable.
We are living the days up to 1939 all over again. I can remember reading history of that time and can remember wondering how could people let it get so out of hand. Now I know. They just could not believe it would happen.
They just could not believe it would happen....They just could not believe it would happen.... They just could not believe it would happen....
But it did
...and it will, again.
YIKES! Ever see Dutch soldiers???? YIKES YIKES YIKES!!!
Can anyone say "4th Crusade"?
Bring it on!
"The Socialists and the Greens also voted against."
Apparently natural allies of islamonazis.
Little do these idiots know they will get dealt with right alongside the conservatives, should islam ever prevail in their lands.
Actually, the Netherlands have had RNLAF Apaches in support of both OEF and OIF for several years now.
Some idiots protested the SOTU speech here in Hawaii. About a 100 of them.
It looked like a lot of parents had their kids out there to beef up their numbers. It also wouldn't surprise me if there were paid, homeless protesters in the mix too.
If I'd known they planned a protest I probably would've headed down there to watch, laugh, maybe hit on a couple of the better looking female liberals... while wearing my Bush '04 t-shirt.
Good. Let's win this thing and knock the Islamic whackos out.
:)
I think the Dutch are looking for an economic blood transfusion - (U.S. tourists).
"Is this, in fact, not simply a terrorism-fighting mission disguised as a reconstruction effort and thus limited in its ability to act?" D66 parliamentarians said in an open letter.
It's probably the only way they can see to get any contracts for Reconstruction $$$.
Will it be "More Tolerable on the day of Judgement for":
(a) Sodom and Gomorrah?
(b) The Netherlands?
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