Dutch forces pull out of Afghanistan after 4 years.
51 replies, posted
[quote=AOL News](Aug. 1) -- Dutch troops ended their four-year mission in Afghanistan today, winning praise for pioneering one of the most effective strategies in the war against insurgents, and raising some concern about its possible effects on other NATO allies.
The pullout of its 1,950 troops is considered unlikely to make a significant military difference, but they leave behind what's become known as the "3D policy" -- defense, diplomacy and development -- that has become a model for other foreign contingents.
"Dutch forces have served with distinction in Uruzgan, and we honor their sacrifice and that of their Afghan counterparts during the Netherlands' tenure in the province," Major Joel Harper, a spokesman for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, said in a statement.
[b]Twenty-four Dutch troops have been killed since 2006, including the 23-year-old son of their military leader, Gen. Peter van Uhm.[/b]
Under the 3D policy, Dutch troops built close contacts with local tribal leaders and concentrated on building developments programs while engaging in battles with the Taliban.
Although NATO officials played down the significance of the pullout, which was in line with a previously announced schedule, according to various media reports there is a sense that because of increasing casualties and doubts about the war's overall strategy it could lead other countries to reassess their commitments.
Because of the war's unpopularity, the Dutch coalition government collapsed when NATO asked the Netherlands to extend its mission in February. Public opposition to the war is also growing in Germany, although it has agreed to send in 500 more troops this year, making Germany the third-largest NATO contingent after the U.S. and U.K.
A NATO spokesman, German Army Brig. Gen. Josef Blotz, told reporters in Kabul today that the Dutch pullout did not reflect a weakening of the coalition, saying overall numbers were increasing.
But the increase is largely a result of an increase in U.S. troops, The Associated Press reported, which have taken over key areas from British and Canadian soldiers.
Canada is set to withdraw its 2,800 troops next year, Poland in 2012, and the U.S. is set to begin a withdrawal by 2011, although Defense Secretary Robert Gibbs said today that the initial pullout would be small.
"This is the start," an Afghan political analyst, Haroon Mir, told Agence France-Presse. "It's a chain -- the Dutch start to withdraw, followed by the Canadians, then the British by 2014. In the middle I think we will see a number of other NATO members... setting a timetable to leave."
As the focus of the war continues on efforts to hand over military responsibility to the Afghans, analysts told the BBC there was a growing feeling that countries might not withdraw ahead of time, but will be more inclined to stick to their scheduled pullouts.
The Dutch will be replaced by U.S. and Australian, Slovak and Singaporean soldiers.[/quote]
It may not be much, but they're smart enough to realize this war is going no where.
[url]http://www.aolnews.com/world/article/dutch-pullout-from-afghanistan-leaves-some-nervous/19576466[/url]
Roughly pulling out might not be best or most comfortable for both parti- Oh wait, we're talking about troops in Afghanistan
Yay, finally a nation that isn't a fucking retard.
About damn time.
[IMG]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4237780/smug.png[/IMG]
hell, it's about damn time someone pulled out that godforsaken shit hole they call a country
[QUOTE=krakadict;23764523]hell, it's about damn time someone pulled out that godforsaken shit hole they call a country[/QUOTE]
That's what happens once America puts their fangs to it and sucks out all the oil... :patriot:
Hopefully other nations will do the same, soon.
[QUOTE=Vinze;23764932]That's what happens once America puts their fangs to it and sucks out all the oil... :patriot:[/QUOTE]
Yeah because Afghanistan was a swell place before they showed up right?
[QUOTE=Vinze;23764932]That's what happens once America puts their fangs to it and sucks out all the oil... :patriot:[/QUOTE]
Afghanistan doesn't have any oil. :eng101:
[QUOTE=Sharq;23764966]Afghanistan doesn't have any oil. :eng101:[/QUOTE]
Fine, make it money then.
[QUOTE=POLOPOZOZO;23764961]Yeah because Afghanistan was a swell place before they showed up right?[/QUOTE]
Vietnam, Korea, Bosnia... They wheren't too bad. I mean, sure, they could use some improvement. But they were decent countries untill the yankee-doodle-looters showed up to either elevate the conflict, or just fuck things over.
Either works, since it keeps their economy stable. Thus the "fang"-referance.
[I]Also: I would like to say that I respect all the drafted troops who participated in these conflicts, they were reluctant, and their minds were set on helping.[/I]
[QUOTE=Vinze;23765056]
Vietnam, Korea, Bosnia... They wheren't too bad. I mean, sure, they could use some improvement. But they were decent countries untill showed up to either elevate the conflict, or just fuck things over.
Either works, since it keeps their economy stable. Thus the "fang"-referance.[/QUOTE]
[B]Korea: [/B]You call aiding a democratic nation that's being invaded by a communist backed neighbor "in their economic interest?" Sure.
[B]Bosnia:[/B] Totally, Ethnic Cleansing is definitely "not too bad" as you put it, right?
[B]Vietnam:[/B] Not excusable, but it was out of fear of the "Domino effect."
[QUOTE=Canuhearme?;23765152][B]Korea: [/B]You call aiding a democratic nation that's being invaded by a communist backed neighbor "in their economic interest?" Sure.
[/quote]
Not our problem. They can take care of themselves.
[quote]
[B]Bosnia:[/B] Totally, Ethnic Cleansing is definitely "not too bad" as you put it, right?
[/quote]
Again, not our problem.
[quote]
[B]Vietnam:[/B] Not excusable, but it was out of fear of the "Domino effect."[/QUOTE]
Big whoop. Can't let other countries make choices for themselves I guess.
[QUOTE=Canuhearme?;23765152][B]Korea: [/B]You call aiding a democratic nation that's being invaded by a communist backed neighbor "in their economic interest?" Sure.
[B]Bosnia:[/B] Totally, Ethnic Cleansing is definitely "not too bad" as you put it, right?
[B]Vietnam:[/B] Not excusable, but it was out of fear of the "Domino effect."[/QUOTE]
America burned witches, invented mormonism, and has mass-slavery. All countries will get some skeletons in the closet once evolving, and causing more war, will just force them to repeat their mistakes.
Oh, and, here's the real reason for Afganistan:
[url]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/7826782/US-discovers-1-trillion-in-untapped-mineral-deposits-in-Afghanistan.html[/url]
I know we like to think USA is the world superhero, but, war is a racket. Taxmoney, funds from the country itself, even various spoils. It's a decent cashflow for a country we all know have an unstable economy.
Good, more troops to fight against NK.
[QUOTE=Vinze;23765278]America burned witches, and has mass-slavery.
[/QUOTE]
You make it sound like America was the only country to do those things, in addition to making it sound like every American was doing that.
[i]There's only two things I hate in this world. People who are intolerant of other people's cultures, and the Dutch.[/i]
But good for them.
I hope this will be an example for the other country's.
[QUOTE=Sharq;23765368]You make it sound like America was the only country to do those things, in addition to making it sound like every American was doing that.[/QUOTE]
No, I mean that all countries are bad at first, and they need to evolve on their own. Only reason America isn't where they are is because of European science. I mean, the original Americans were tribesmen, and their technology were at the same level as any other eastern country. Such as Korea, Afganistan or Vietnam.
[QUOTE=Vinze;23765465]No, I mean that all countries are bad at first, and they need to evolve on their own. Only reason America isn't where they are is because of European science. I mean, the original Americans were tribesmen, and their technology were at the same level as any other eastern country. Such as Korea, Afganistan or Vietnam.[/QUOTE]
The same could be said about the Renaissance seeing as it was influenced by Asia after the Crusades.
[QUOTE=PvtCupcakes;23765182]Not our problem. They can take care of themselves.[/QUOTE] No they couldn't, and all of Korea would be like North Korea today, instead of a modernized and highly developed southern half. At this point probably even China regrets not allowing the US to push through to their border.
[QUOTE=Sharq;23765643]The same could be said about the Renaissance seeing as it was influenced by Asia after the Crusades.[/QUOTE]
Exactly.
[QUOTE=Vinze;23765278]America burned witches, invented mormonism, and has mass-slavery. All countries will get some skeletons in the closet once evolving, and causing more war, will just force them to repeat their mistakes.
[/QUOTE]
Guess who burned people before America oh yeah that's right everyone.
America didn't create Mormonism, individuals did, and most American society shunned them, and now we have the state of Utah.
It had slavery that was an established part of Southern culture when it was still a British colony.
[QUOTE=PvtCupcakes;23765182]Not our problem. They can take care of themselves.
Again, not our problem.
Big whoop. Can't let other countries make choices for themselves I guess.[/QUOTE]
First off, South Korea was losing the war until the United States (backed by the United Nations, mind you) came in and helped. You also don't apparently realize that South Korea is now the 15th wealthiest nation by GDP in the world thanks in part to us keeping the North from invading. How would Korea be now if we didn't help?
Also, acts of genocide forces the hand of the United Nations to stop it, which was occurring in Bosnia during the 1990s, it was a joint UN venture, not just the United States.
[QUOTE=PvtCupcakes;23765182]Not our problem. They can take care of themselves.
Again, not our problem.
Big whoop. Can't let other countries make choices for themselves I guess.[/QUOTE]
You silly Isolationist you.
[QUOTE=Vinze;23765465]No, I mean that all countries are bad at first, and they need to evolve on their own. Only reason America isn't where they are is because of European science. I mean, the original Americans were tribesmen, and their technology were at the same level as any other eastern country. Such as Korea, Afganistan or Vietnam.[/QUOTE]
So us helping Germany, Japan, and South Korea was a bad idea?
[QUOTE=POLOPOZOZO;23765826]Guess who burned people before America oh yeah that's right everyone.
[/QUOTE]
Thanks for making my point. I was saying just that. All countries had their flaws, America grew out of it quicker as a more evolved civilization hijacked them. Otherwise, they'd be at the same level as other eastern countries.
[QUOTE=Canuhearme?;23765890]So us helping Germany, Japan, and South Korea was a bad idea?[/QUOTE]
Wait a minute, wheren't the first two the bad guys?
Also: South Korea, yes.
North vs. South, does it sound familiar?
All countries have these issiues, and in order to be fully evolved and independant, they need to work it out on their own.
[QUOTE=Vinze;23765896]
Wait a minute, weren't the first two the bad guys?[/QUOTE]
After the war.
Marshall plan, rebuilding Western Germany into what eventually became the leading economy of the European Union, and helping rebuild Japan into the second largest economy in the world? Yeah, bad idea.
[QUOTE=Vinze;23765896]
Wait a minute, wheren't the first two the bad guys?[/QUOTE]
I'm loving that black and white world you're living in dude, how's the rent?
[QUOTE=PvtCupcakes;23765182]Not our problem. They can take care of themselves.
Again, not our problem.
Big whoop. Can't let other countries make choices for themselves I guess.[/QUOTE]
Hey, poverty, poor people are poor because they want to be, right? Ethnic minorities deserve to be killed in millions because, well, they asked for it by being minorities, right?
These are some of the stupid arguments that got the world into such a mess, where nations pour money into wars that make money, rather than wars to solve real problems.
[editline]10:53PM[/editline]
[QUOTE=POLOPOZOZO;23765948]I'm loving that black and white world you're living in dude, how's the rent?[/QUOTE]
He must be paying a premium price to live in THAT cloud in the sky.
[QUOTE=Canuhearme?;23765946]After the war.
Marshall plan, rebuilding Western Germany into what eventually became the leading economy of the European Union, and helping rebuild Japan into the second largest economy in the world? Yeah, bad idea.[/QUOTE]
Well, was that made through conflict, or diplomacy?
I am souley against the massive fighting. I know that when America puts down the guns and uses their heads, they can do some pretty damn brilliant things, so don't put words in my mouth.
[QUOTE=POLOPOZOZO;23765948]I'm loving that black and white world you're living in dude, how's the rent?[/QUOTE]
I'm sorry, I was talking about how things ends badly when America decides to fight stuff. The Nazis? That's an exception, that wasn't politics, those people were just evil.
But you're right, since I was crazy to think of the Axis when there's so many other conflicts directly related between Germany, Japan and USA...
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