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Dutch to leave Kandahar vulnerable
Globe and Mail ^ | Sunday, Feb. 21, 2010 | Doug Saunders

Posted on 02/21/2010 9:43:19 PM PST by world weary

With the collapse of the Dutch government this weekend, its 1,600 soldiers are set to be withdrawn from the Taliban-ridden Afghan south shortly before Canada's 2,800 troops leave, creating a dangerous military vacuum there, the Prime Minister warned.

(Excerpt) Read more at theglobeandmail.com ...


TOPICS: Canada; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; canada; dutch; dutchtroops; isaf; kandahar; nato; netherlands
NATO just now realizing that the Dutch and Canadians are leaving as planned.
1 posted on 02/21/2010 9:43:20 PM PST by world weary
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To: world weary

Given their extensive problems at home, I consider the Dutch a liability, not an asset. It’s probably best that they and the Canuckistanis both go home...


2 posted on 02/21/2010 9:48:52 PM PST by Bean Counter (I keeps mah feathers numbered, for just such an emergency...)
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To: world weary

That’s just great, and my son has been alerted to deploy there next month for a 9 month rotation (AF)...


3 posted on 02/21/2010 10:06:58 PM PST by ThomasPaine2000 (Peace without freedom is tyranny.)
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To: Bean Counter

Thing is...everyone is leaving in 2011. I think the article is more fearmongering than anything else. The Globe is a fairly liberal rag in Canada, saying that Kandahar is going to be vulnurable after the forces leave is a little misleading, we’re going to have to leave eventually and that will leave the whole of Afghanistan vulurable. The real test of victory doesn’t occur until we do leave and the Afghanistan government stands on its own.


4 posted on 02/21/2010 10:19:41 PM PST by world weary
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To: ThomasPaine2000

I wouldn’t take too much away from this article, its a fear mongering piece put out by Liberals intended to shame the Conservative government in Canada into staying...despite the fact that it was the Liberals who wanted a firm deadline for withdrawl from Afghanistan in the first place. The Dutch don’t really have a choice in the matter as their government has fallen over the issue and they are headed to a new election. From what I understand the liberal government they have now was partnered with a conservative party to form the government, their country has been moving to the right lately, so maybe after the election, the decision on staying might change.


5 posted on 02/21/2010 10:24:20 PM PST by world weary
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To: world weary

the Dutch pullout will severely affect the Kandahar hashish sales volumes


6 posted on 02/22/2010 12:21:06 AM PST by LeoWindhorse
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To: LeoWindhorse

now that the Dutch gov’t has collapsed


7 posted on 02/22/2010 12:33:49 AM PST by MissDairyGoodnessVT (Free Nobel Peace Prize with oil change =^..^=)
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To: world weary
Thing is...everyone is leaving in 2011.

Unless you are privy to some new, that's Iraq.

8 posted on 02/22/2010 2:06:54 AM PST by Sarajevo (You're jealous because the voices only talk to me.)
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To: Sarajevo
Canada is scheduled to leave in 2011 (and has been for years now), the US government has stated on numerous times that it will withdraw around 2011, the Dutch were scheduled to withdraw in 2011 (their government fell because the two ruling parties could not agree that they should stay or leave on schedule). Its only recently that Obama has been saying that he's not going to withdraw fully (the US is playing a longer game here), but a massive troop drawdown is expected in the middle of 2011.

We have to leave sometime.

9 posted on 02/22/2010 2:51:50 AM PST by world weary
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To: world weary
We have to leave sometime.

Yes, we do. I hadn't heard of the 2011 date, except for Iraq. We are currently rushing to leave Iraq and this place is still a mess.

10 posted on 02/22/2010 7:38:35 AM PST by Sarajevo (You're jealous because the voices only talk to me.)
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