(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Adults in the Netherlands hold dissimilar views on the scope of their country’s future commitment to Afghanistan, according to a poll by Maurice de Hond. 43 per cent of respondents would keep a limited number of Dutch soldiers in the country after 2010, while 31 per cent would withdraw all troops from Afghanistan.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Adults in the Netherlands hold dissimilar views on the scope of their country’s future commitment to Afghanistan, according to a poll by Maurice de Hond. 43 per cent of respondents would keep a limited number of Dutch soldiers in the country after 2010, while 31 per cent would withdraw all troops from Afghanistan.
In addition, 20 per cent of respondents would maintain more or less the country’s current role, and three per cent would extend the mission in Afghanistan beyond 2010.
Afghanistan has been the main battleground in the war on terrorism. The conflict began in October 2001, after the Taliban regime refused to hand over Osama bin Laden without evidence of his participation in the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. Al-Qaeda operatives hijacked and crashed four airplanes on Sept. 11, 2001, killing nearly 3,000 people.
At least 1,266 soldiers—including 19 Dutch—have died in the war on terrorism, either in support of the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom or as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Dutch voters renewed the Second Chamber in November 2006. The governing Christian-Democratic Appeal (CDA)—led by current minister president Jan Peter Balkenende—secured 41 out of 150 seats. In February 2007, a coalition encompassing the CDA, the Labour Party (PvdA) of Wouter Bos, and the Christian Union (CU) of Andre Rouvouet was assembled.
Nearly 2,000 Dutch soldiers are currently deployed in Afghanistan, most of them in the Uruzgan province. The mission is expected to end in 2010.
On Jul. 15, U.S. president Barack Obama met with Balkenende in Washington and declared: "What I shared with the prime minister was the hope that even after next summer that there is the ability for the Dutch to continue to apply the leadership and the experience that they’ve been able to accumulate over these past years. (…) The Dutch military has been one of the most outstanding militaries there, has shown extraordinary not only military capacity, but also insight into the local culture and the local politics."
Polling Data
The United States wants the Netherlands to continue to play a role in Afghanistan after 2010. Which of these options would you prefer?
|
Withdrawing all soldiers from Afghanistan |
31% |
|
Keeping a limited number of soldiers in Afghanistan |
43% |
|
Maintaining more or less the current role in Afghanistan |
20% |
|
Extending the mission in Afghanistan beyond 2010 |
3% |
|
Not sure |
4% |
Source: Maurice de Hond
Methodology: Interviews with 1,000 Dutch adults, conducted on Jul. 18, 2009. No margin of error was provided.
