Troops to leave Afghanistan this year: Dutch PM

Amsterdam: Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter
Balkenende says Dutch troops are likely to leave Afghanistan
this year.

He was speaking today, a day after his government
collapsed when a coalition partner insisted the Dutch troops
leave in August as planned.

Balkenende had wanted to accept a NATO appeal for the
1,600 troops to stay on for another year, at least to train
Afghan army and police.

Asked about the deployment on Dutch television,
Balkenende said his caretaker government is not empowered to
take controversial decisions such as agreeing to an extension
in Afghanistan.

In a lengthy debate in parliament before the government
fell, most of the 150-member house was in favour of pulling
out of Afghanistan.

PTI