Many Dutch opposed to extending military mission in Afghanistan

A survey showed on Monday that almost half of the Dutch people said "no" to extending the their nation's military mission in Uruzgan province of southern Afghanistan.

About 1,000 people were surveyed last weekend at the request of several Dutch newspapers. Most of them believe the current operation in Uruzgan should be completed, but the 1,400 Dutch troops should return home after August 2008 when the two-year mission expires.

A 20-year-old Dutch soldier died on Friday in Afghanistan. Fifty-five percent of those surveyed said the latest loss of life was no reason to immediately stop the mission in Afghanistan.

However, most respondents said they did not think reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan would be successful.

The Dutch cabinet is under heavy pressure from the United States and some other NATO allies to extend the Dutch operation in Afghanistan. The cabinet will decide on it this summer.

Dutch troops were deployed in the south of Afghanistan in August last year, forming a part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). It has become the most expensive military operation in Dutch history.

Source: Xinhua