Dutch Pull The Plug on Afghans

The Dutch Government has announced that its NATO troops have started their withdrawal from Southern Afghanistan. This makes Holland the first NATO country to pull out of the mission there after spending an alleged USD 1.8 million of Dutch tax-payers money, wasting four years and at least 24 soldiers’ lives. Nevertheless this did not stop NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen from praising the Dutch contingent for its bravery and contribution to the mission. Rasmussen is reportedly said to have earlier begged the Dutch troops to stay on for a little longer, but the Dutch tax-payers had allegedly declined to extend the deadline and instead replaced their government in February 2010. Although NATO has not achieved its goal in Afghanistan, where security and energy is still a major luxury for only the very few and Osama bin Laden is still at large, US President Barack Obama didn’t want to spoil the celebration of Dutch tax-payers and to save face, said that their contribution to Afghanistan had been ” one of the most outstanding “. the Dutch had reportedly helped reduce the production of opium, depriving millions of people from their only livelihood in the mountainous country. Despite their early departure the Dutch claim they could have done a lot more as there remains a lot more to be done. Dutch soldiers reportedly claim that what NATO forces have so far achieved was merely the tip of the iceberg, considering the dire needs of the nation. Most of the population had expected a lot more from NATO when it first proudly marched through the streets of Khabul. Now they reportedly wonder whether the international commitment was a serious intention in the first place.