Dutch government collapses over Afghanistan

Labour leader Bos stated earlier this week that he wanted a decision on Nato's request to the Netherlands to stay in Afghanistan at Friday's cabinet meeting. And that decision would have to be a no, he said repeatedly.

The collapse of the government means that the withdrawal of Dutch troops from Afghanistan will now begin in August because caretaker ministers are not allowed to make controversial decisions.

'A withdrawal will damage the reputation of the Dutch as a reliable partner that is willing and able to contribute to important military missions,' Edwin Bakker, a senior research fellow at the Clingendael Institute in The Hague told news agency Reuters.

Dutch govt. falls over troop withdrawal

He added that this week's remarks by Labor, demanding a rejection of NATO's request to remain active in the Afghan province of Uruzgan, "placed a political mortgage" on the coalition's cooperation and blocked a well-balanced debate about the extension of the mission in the Asian country.

Posted: 11:34:18 AM