Dutch question Afghanistan mission

After much debate in the alternative and mainstream media in the Netherlands, it seems that the Dutch Left has come together against the decision of Defence Minister Henk Kamp to authorize a deployment of 1,200 Dutch troops to Afghanistan in mid 2006. The troops would be deployed under the increased NATO contingent to the ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) to the troubled "Taliban country" of Uruzgan Province, in the south central area of the country near Kandahar.


Taliban country? Must we?

Reuters reports that three parties, one of which is part of the ruling coalition, have expressed their opposition to the deployment. According to the New York Times, the issue will be debated in the Dutch parliament in a special hearing on January 26. A vote will take place on February 2, but the parliament does not appear to have the power to veto the deployment.

A Dutch opinion poll shows that 68% of the public is against the increased deployment to Uruzgan.

The Dutch opposition bases its objection to the mission on reports of anarchy, failed counter-insurgency and abuse by mainly US forces in Uruzgan.

A major worry for the Dutch opposition is the issue of detention during the inevitable counter-insurgency missions in the troubled region.

A number of sources have pointed to the film Taliban Country as a source for these doubts, after the film was featured in an Amsterdam magazine and on Dutch television.

Dutch rejection of the Uruzgan mission could cause big problems for NATO, as other contributing countries (Canada and the UK) claim they have already reached their deployment and funding limits.