KABUL, (Reuters) – The Netherlands began pulling its 2,000 troops out of Afghanistan yesterday after a political row brought down the Dutch government in February and as other Western nations review their future roles in the war.
While the withdrawal is unlikely to be felt on the battlefield, it hurts the “international” image that Washington promotes for the U.S.-dominated, 150,000-strong NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
The Dutch officially ended their mission without public ceremony or even any announcement from ISAF yesterday.
“The decision like this one … must not be seen in an isolated way,” Brig. Gen. Josef Blotz told a regular news conference.
“The overall forces posture of ISAF and of the Afghan security forces as well is increasing, so we do have the necessary force posture,” Blotz said.
The Netherlands was the lead nation in the southern province of Uruzgan, where it had about 1,400 troops, plus around 500 at headquarters or elsewhere. During its mission, 24 Dutch troops were killed and 140 wounded, the Dutch Foreign Ministry said in a statement yesterday.
“The Netherlands has taken its responsibility, and put its shoulders under security and reconstruction in Afghanistan,” Foreign Affairs minister Maxime Verhagen said in a personal message to the Dutch command in Uruzgan, the statement said.
