DUTCH OVEN: Dutch Surrender Monkeys Create Huge Problem For Australia In Afghanistan

thanks to our Defence Correspondent, Corporal Punishment

Australian Defence Minister Brendan Nelson was in Washington and Kabul last week, talking tough to Australia's prevaricating Dutch partners in Afghanistan. His message was clear: if the Dutch withdrew their troops, Australia would not pick up the
slack, leaving open the possibility of Australia withdrawing our troops.

DUTCH LEAVE AUSSIES IN THE LURCH
But behind the scenes, some very different action was happening. We have learned that Australian troops have been called up at short notice to replace a Dutch mortar platoon supporting our troops which withdrew last week without warning.

Independent defence writer, Sasha Uzunov, reports that soldiers from Townsville based infantry battalion 2RAR, mortars platoon, have been called up for immediate deployment. The
30-strong platoon had been preparing to deploy to Timor in October (as a rifle platoon), but now will switch to Afghanistan.

DUTCH "ARROGANT BASTARDS"
The sudden Dutch departure will add to simmering Dutch-Australian tensions in Afghanistan. Tensions are running high - at least one soldier has declared Australian troops would like to shoot all the Dutch as they are arrogant bastards to work with.

It will also make our Defence Minster look like a dill. Only last week, Nelson told a group of Dutch MPs in Kabul: "We are not in a position to increase our numbers in Afghanistan and we won't and can't take the lead position in Tarin Kowt." His blunt message was: "The consequences of a Dutch withdrawal, if we can't find another partner, is that we would be far too exposed to continue."

But it seems Nelson is quietly ensuring he has a buck each way.

YOUTUBE EXPLAINED
The Youtube video is of an interview of Urlich Ladurner by Sasha Uzonov in Kabul back in May where he explains that Australians and Dutch forces were slow in establishing security in Uruzgan province.

Uzonov had written that in New Matilda that:

When I asked the Defence Minister if a rift had developed between Australian troops and the Dutch Army engineers they are serving alongside, over who was doing the most to secure Uruzgan, Nelson would not comment.

New Matilda reported:

Ladurner, who is the foreign editor of the German weekly Die Zeit and co-author with Gero von Randow of The Iranian Bomb, spent weeks as an embedded journalist with Dutch Army engineers in Uruzgan Province — at the Tarin Kowt base they share with Australian troops. ‘The Dutch and Australians are making a big effort but it is too slow in bringing stability to the province,’ Ladurner said. ‘The local people are not happy with the progress made. It is still not safe. The region is still wild.’

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