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Original article in Dutch - Permalink in Dutch (.pdf) - REALLY bad BabelFishEnglish translation (.pdf)
Call for Dutch forces to be reduced
Radio Netherlands online, 20 Oct 07
Article link
Dick Berlijn, the Chief of Defence Staff in the Netherlands has said that the Dutch mission in the Afghanistan province of Uruzgan must continue with reduced manpower. He made this statement in a secret communication with the Dutch cabinet, a communication that has come into the possession of the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. Mr Berlijn said that Dutch military forces could stay for two extra years in Afghanistan; however the number of personnel will not exceed 1,200. Currently, more than 1,600 Dutch military personnel are stationed in Uruzgan. The decision over the extension of their stay is expected at the end of November.
Two Dutch governing coalition political parties, the Christian Democrats and Labour, are furious that the communication has been made public. They think the leak is amateurish and, above all, bad for the Dutch negotiating position. The Dutch cabinet is hoping to gain military support from other countries during the upcoming NATO leadership summit.
Dutch defense chief sees Afghan mission renewed
Reuters (UK), 20 Oct 07
Article link
Dutch military operations in Afghanistan could be extended for two more years after August 2008 but with fewer troops, a Dutch daily reported on Saturday.
Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf quoted sources as saying Chief of Staff Dick Berlijn had advised the government that it could keep a maximum of 1,200 soldiers in southern Afghanistan from about 1,600 now.
A spokesman of the Dutch Ministry of defense declined to comment, saying any advice given to the government was private.
The Dutch government, under NATO pressure to keep its troops in the volatile Uruzgan region, is reviewing its mission amid growing public pressure to withdraw as casualties increase.
A Dutch pull-out could see the Canadians follow suit. They are stationed in Kandahar in the south and must also decide whether to extend their mandate which runs until February 2009.
The issue is likely to feature prominently at an informal NATO meeting in the Dutch town of Noordwijk on October 24-25.
The Netherlands should remain the "lead nation" in Uruzgan but help from other countries was necessary in areas such as defending military camps, transport and air support, the Dutch newspaper reported Berlijn's advice as saying.
Berlijn and Dutch defense Minister Eimert van Middelkoop told NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer on Friday about Berlijn's ideas, the newspaper said.
A reduced mission in Afghanistan would limit the Netherlands' options for other military obligations, such as NATO's rapid reaction force NRF and European Union forces, the paper said, citing Berlijn's advice.
Dutch troops may stay in Afghanistan, army chief says
DPA (DEU), 20 Oct 07
Article link
A prolongation of the Dutch mission in Afghanistan was likely but on a smaller scale, according to the Chief of the Netherlands Defence Forces, General Dick Berlijn, reports said Saturday.
The current 1,600-strong Dutch contingent would be reduced to 1,200 troops, the general wrote in a confidential report for the government, according to the daily Telegraaf and other media.
The centre-left coalition in The Hague would probably decide in November whether the Dutch contingent, which has been stationed in the Afghan province on Uruzgan since 2006, will remain there as NATO expects.
While Berlijn deems this likely, reducing the contingent would also mean higher expenditure, he wrote according to reports. Apart from that, other nations would have to show a greater commitment in Uruzgan.
The Dutch defence ministry did not comment on the report.
However, a spokesman for the government expressed anger that the general's recommendations had been leaked to the press as it weakened the Netherlands position to negotiate within NATO.
Defence Minister Eimert van Middelkoop had also been accused of weakening the Netherlands negotiating position months ago after saying that the government would be inclined to prolong the mission in Afghanistan which is controversial among Social Democrat members of government.
Dutch general urges extension of Afghan mission: report
AFP, via Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 20 Oct 07
Article link
A Dutch newspaper reports it has obtained a confidential memo in which the head of the Dutch armed forces advises the government to extend their military mission in Afghanistan for two years.
At the same time, General Dick Berlijn calls for the deployment to be cut to 1,200 to free up troops for other international military operations, De Telegraaf reports.
Some 1,500 Dutch troops have been deployed in the southern Afghan province of Oruzgan since August 2006 as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
Australia currently has almost 1,000 troops in Oruzgan fighting alongside the Dutch, though Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai told the ABC this week he would welcome an increased commitment.
The Dutch government was due to decide this summer whether to extend their mission beyond August 2008 but delayed the decision to this autumn to allow further discussions with NATO.
Public opinion polls suggest the majority of Dutch people are against an extension.
- edited to add Dutch source article & BabelFishEnglish translation of same -
Original article in Dutch - Permalink in Dutch (.pdf) - REALLY bad BabelFishEnglish translation (.pdf)
Call for Dutch forces to be reduced
Radio Netherlands online, 20 Oct 07
Article link
Dick Berlijn, the Chief of Defence Staff in the Netherlands has said that the Dutch mission in the Afghanistan province of Uruzgan must continue with reduced manpower. He made this statement in a secret communication with the Dutch cabinet, a communication that has come into the possession of the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. Mr Berlijn said that Dutch military forces could stay for two extra years in Afghanistan; however the number of personnel will not exceed 1,200. Currently, more than 1,600 Dutch military personnel are stationed in Uruzgan. The decision over the extension of their stay is expected at the end of November.
Two Dutch governing coalition political parties, the Christian Democrats and Labour, are furious that the communication has been made public. They think the leak is amateurish and, above all, bad for the Dutch negotiating position. The Dutch cabinet is hoping to gain military support from other countries during the upcoming NATO leadership summit.
Dutch defense chief sees Afghan mission renewed
Reuters (UK), 20 Oct 07
Article link
Dutch military operations in Afghanistan could be extended for two more years after August 2008 but with fewer troops, a Dutch daily reported on Saturday.
Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf quoted sources as saying Chief of Staff Dick Berlijn had advised the government that it could keep a maximum of 1,200 soldiers in southern Afghanistan from about 1,600 now.
A spokesman of the Dutch Ministry of defense declined to comment, saying any advice given to the government was private.
The Dutch government, under NATO pressure to keep its troops in the volatile Uruzgan region, is reviewing its mission amid growing public pressure to withdraw as casualties increase.
A Dutch pull-out could see the Canadians follow suit. They are stationed in Kandahar in the south and must also decide whether to extend their mandate which runs until February 2009.
The issue is likely to feature prominently at an informal NATO meeting in the Dutch town of Noordwijk on October 24-25.
The Netherlands should remain the "lead nation" in Uruzgan but help from other countries was necessary in areas such as defending military camps, transport and air support, the Dutch newspaper reported Berlijn's advice as saying.
Berlijn and Dutch defense Minister Eimert van Middelkoop told NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer on Friday about Berlijn's ideas, the newspaper said.
A reduced mission in Afghanistan would limit the Netherlands' options for other military obligations, such as NATO's rapid reaction force NRF and European Union forces, the paper said, citing Berlijn's advice.
Dutch troops may stay in Afghanistan, army chief says
DPA (DEU), 20 Oct 07
Article link
A prolongation of the Dutch mission in Afghanistan was likely but on a smaller scale, according to the Chief of the Netherlands Defence Forces, General Dick Berlijn, reports said Saturday.
The current 1,600-strong Dutch contingent would be reduced to 1,200 troops, the general wrote in a confidential report for the government, according to the daily Telegraaf and other media.
The centre-left coalition in The Hague would probably decide in November whether the Dutch contingent, which has been stationed in the Afghan province on Uruzgan since 2006, will remain there as NATO expects.
While Berlijn deems this likely, reducing the contingent would also mean higher expenditure, he wrote according to reports. Apart from that, other nations would have to show a greater commitment in Uruzgan.
The Dutch defence ministry did not comment on the report.
However, a spokesman for the government expressed anger that the general's recommendations had been leaked to the press as it weakened the Netherlands position to negotiate within NATO.
Defence Minister Eimert van Middelkoop had also been accused of weakening the Netherlands negotiating position months ago after saying that the government would be inclined to prolong the mission in Afghanistan which is controversial among Social Democrat members of government.
Dutch general urges extension of Afghan mission: report
AFP, via Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 20 Oct 07
Article link
A Dutch newspaper reports it has obtained a confidential memo in which the head of the Dutch armed forces advises the government to extend their military mission in Afghanistan for two years.
At the same time, General Dick Berlijn calls for the deployment to be cut to 1,200 to free up troops for other international military operations, De Telegraaf reports.
Some 1,500 Dutch troops have been deployed in the southern Afghan province of Oruzgan since August 2006 as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
Australia currently has almost 1,000 troops in Oruzgan fighting alongside the Dutch, though Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai told the ABC this week he would welcome an increased commitment.
The Dutch government was due to decide this summer whether to extend their mission beyond August 2008 but delayed the decision to this autumn to allow further discussions with NATO.
Public opinion polls suggest the majority of Dutch people are against an extension.
- edited to add Dutch source article & BabelFishEnglish translation of same -
