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| Afghanistan | |
| Netherlands: 44th armoured battalion to protect Dutch police trainers | |
| 2011-02-08 | |
| The 44th armoured battalion of the Johannes Post barracks in Havelte is preparing to go to Kunduz to protect the 200 police trainers being sent to Afghanistan by the government, according to sources quoted in the Telegraaf. The 44th, part of the Johan Willem Friso infantry regiment, previously took a peace-keeping role during the Unifil mission to Libanon in 1979. There has been no comment from the defence ministry. Around 60 of the battalion will be deployed in Kunduz and the rest at a military base where four Dutch F-16s will be stationed.
The current plan then has everything to do with the Dutch relationship with the Americans, Nato and the international community. 'Tonga does more than the Netherlands' almost became a byword for Dutch military stinginess. But that is not how it ought to be, just as the PvdA's pointing out that 'the Netherlands has done its bit, it's time others did their share and besides our stuff is worn out' is not as it should be either. Small countries like the Netherlands can only afford to say this sort of thing because they are safely tucked underneath the American blanket. What if Obama said the same and packed up and left Afghanistan to face chaos and radical Pakistani elements? We have to help Washington accomplish a proper exit strategy. The proposed police mission is a modest one -- slightly bigger than Tonga's. Rumour has it that Nato wanted much more. The haggling about the size of the mission highlights the vulnerability of Rutte's cabinet and his endless efforts to woo the opposition. | |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #2 Eastern Europeans remember very clearly both how the US always tried to stand up for them, when they were slaves to the Russians; and how the western Europeans were more than willing to leave them to stew in their own juices. Here is a painting, done by a Hungarian, showing Richard Nixon as Moses, leading the Hungarian people out of bondage. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2011-02-08 10:15 |
| #1 From an old cold warrior view, it is quite interesting to see the Czechs, Poles, and Romanians at Bagram and elsewhere. Former Soviet Union (FSU) members appear to be playing a larger role than many of our NATO pals. Memories, how short they can be Talking about an "exit strategy" in AFG is something akin to the Chicago Police Commissioner saying ......"we're wrapping it up in the city. We're pulling out and moving up to Milwaukee to see how we can assist there." This is an all day sucker. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2011-02-08 08:33 |
