Dutch government falls

DarkFish · 02-20-10, 02:36 PM

...again, for the 4th time in a row

seems our prime minister simply cannot keep our cabinet together for four years, it's his 4th time in office, each time ended with a collapse of the government.
(4 times in less than 8 years - averages 2 years per government

)

Reason this time was whether our troops should be withdrawn from Afghanistan or not. Two years ago it was already decided our troops would leave end 2010. The NATO didn't like that however so they asked us to stay longer. The Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) of our Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende finds our little NATO friends more important than his promises to the Dutch People, so suddenly he changes his mind and says with his prettiest smile "hey, let's stay in Afghanistan a little longer!"
The Labour Party (PvdA) of minister of finances Wouter Bos didn't quite agree with that and wanted to keep their promises with the Dutch People.
Eventually neither party could come to an agreement with the other, so after 15 hours of debating this morning our cabinet collapsed.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE61J02H20100220

Oberon · 02-20-10, 03:28 PM

I blame Voldemort

DarkFish · 02-20-10, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oberon

I blame Voldemort

NOOOooooooooooo
Don't mention that name ever again... Now he's coming to get us!

Skybird · 02-20-10, 05:09 PM

- "Sssame procedure as last year, Miss Sophie?"

- "The sssame procedure as every year, James!"

The same old faces will pop up again after the elections. The only questionmark is Geert Wilders. But even if his party would win (German TV today says his party currently runs second place), I doubt he would be asked to form a coalition government as prime minister. Because, as he has been told by a Dutch court, it does not matter whether or not he can prove his statements at court, but what counts is that his views are illegal (says the court).

Good luck, Holland. Some more years of political degeneration and corruption at courts and nullifying of legal evidence, and you can truthfully announce "Land unter" even with the sea level staying where it currently is and Global Warming having turned into an Ice Age. We others are close on your heels anyway, heading into the same abyss .

Jimbuna · 02-20-10, 05:25 PM

What sort of military presence does Holland have over there?

Skybird · 02-20-10, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbuna

What sort of military presence does Holland have over there?

1800 troops in Urusgan, in the south, a battled-over, dangerous and poor province. 21 Dutch casualties since 2006. the Dutch are engaged in fighting quite often, and frequently.

It is strongly assumed that the Conservatives encouraged NATO to send a letter demanding them to stay, so that the Conservatives would have a stronger "argument" against the Socialdemocrats who entered the coalition only by explicit mutual agreement to bring home the troops in 2010. In other words: that letter was an attempted trick, and the one coaltion party decided it does not wish to be overwhelmed by it. Getting the troops out was one of their promises during the election campaign.

Jimbuna · 02-20-10, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skybird

1800 troops in Urusgan, in the south, a battled-over dangerous province. 21 Dutch casualties since 2006.

It is strongly assumed that the Conservatives encouraged NATO to send a letter demanding them to stay, so that the Comnservazoves would have a stronger "agumkent" against the Socialdemocrats who entered the coaltiion only by explciit mutual agreement to bring home the troop in 2010. In other words: that letter was an attempted trick.

Rgr that... cheers sky

Bloody politics

Skybird · 02-20-10, 05:48 PM

I hate to be quoted. It reiterates how many typos I produce with my undisciplined speed-typing.

Corrected.

DarkFish · 02-20-10, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skybird

It is strongly assumed that the Conservatives encouraged NATO to send a letter demanding them to stay, so that the Conservatives would have a stronger "argument" against the Socialdemocrats who entered the coalition only by explicit mutual agreement to bring home the troops in 2010. In other words: that letter was an attempted trick, and the one coaltion party decided it does not wish to be overwhelmed by it. Getting the troops out was one of their promises during the election campaign.

hmm, never heard that story yet, but politics are dirty enough for it to be true..

Besides, the US have been treating the Netherlands as their little pet dog, and we've been acting like one, sitting, barking and laying dead at command. Why do you think the last NATO Secretary General was a Dutchman? Not because De Hoop-Scheffer is such a great leader, but because Dutch politicians tend to lick the *sses of all important countries out there, with the US having the biggest one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skybird

I hate to be quoted. It reiterates how many typos I produce with my undisciplined speed-typing.

Corrected.

not quite, there's still the matter of "coaltion"

where's Sailor Steve when you need him?

Fish · 02-20-10, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skybird

I hate to be quoted. It reiterates how many typos I produce with my undisciplined speed-typing.

Corrected.

I thought you were drunk.

Rhodes · 02-20-10, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkFish

...again, for the 4th time in a row

seems our prime minister simply cannot keep our cabinet together for four years, it's his 4th time in office, each time ended with a collapse of the government.
(4 times in less than 8 years - averages 2 years per government

)

That's nothing, we had four goverments from 2000 to 2005!

krashkart · 02-20-10, 07:56 PM

We had a Darth Vader and his crew from 2000-2008.

Darth pictured on the right:

Pax Americus!

02-20-10, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Because, as he has been told by a Dutch court, it does not matter whether or not he can prove his statements at court, but what counts is that his views are illegal (says the court).

No matter how many times Skybird repeats it or how many different topics he can mention it in, it is still untrue.
Does Skybirds constant repetition of the untruth amount to mythomania?

KeptinCranky · 02-20-10, 09:22 PM

Skybird, It does appear that our foreign minister made some verbal guarantees to the Nato chairman... there's also that whole business with our previous foreign minister being the Nato chairman before Rasmussen,...

there's no actual evidence but I doesn't take a genius to piece together that they promised Nato to stay longer and thought they could get away with a fait accompli.

I'm glad they didn't, I'm not a big fan of the current (ex)government, I do not like the way they mix their christian mythology into their politics...I'm happy to see them sod off, I just wish they'd done so earlier.
All I hope is that we'll finally be rid of that ineffectual nitwit Balkenende, and hopefully have the next government entirely without the christian democrats.

There's local elections for city councils in two weeks, we'll see what happens there for an indication about who we Dutch feel takes the blame for this mess.

As to the mission our military's doing in Uruzgan province in Afghanistan, I think they've done some good over the years, I just hope it lasts, despite the casualties. I just feel that two important rules for any military action were ignored in agreeing to go there in the first place:
- "Never start a land war in asia" and
- if you have to fight, fight to win,

they should've gone in with everything and the kitchen sink to back them up, not leave the Leopard tanks and the artillery support behind... I've seen some references from other countries that call our troops "the beggar army". if there's ANY truth to that I feel the government responsible has a lot to answer for..

Schroeder · 02-21-10, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KeptinCranky

As to the mission our military's doing in Uruzgan province in Afghanistan, I think they've done some good over the years, I just hope it lasts, despite the casualties. I just feel that two important rules for any military action were ignored in agreeing to go there in the first place:
- "Never start a land war in asia" and
- if you have to fight, fight to win,

they should've gone in with everything and the kitchen sink to back them up, not leave the Leopard tanks and the artillery support behind... I've seen some references from other countries that call our troops "the beggar army". if there's ANY truth to that I feel the government responsible has a lot to answer for..

I have a deja vu! That sounds so familiar...even the part about Leopards.

02-20-10, 02:36 PM	#1
DarkFish Sea Lord Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Stinking drunk in Eindhoven, the Netherlands Posts: 1,844 Downloads: 28 Uploads: 0	Dutch government falls ...again, for the 4th time in a row seems our prime minister simply cannot keep our cabinet together for four years, it's his 4th time in office, each time ended with a collapse of the government. (4 times in less than 8 years - averages 2 years per government) Reason this time was whether our troops should be withdrawn from Afghanistan or not. Two years ago it was already decided our troops would leave end 2010. The NATO didn't like that however so they asked us to stay longer. The Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) of our Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende finds our little NATO friends more important than his promises to the Dutch People, so suddenly he changes his mind and says with his prettiest smile "hey, let's stay in Afghanistan a little longer!" The Labour Party (PvdA) of minister of finances Wouter Bos didn't quite agree with that and wanted to keep their promises with the Dutch People. Eventually neither party could come to an agreement with the other, so after 15 hours of debating this morning our cabinet collapsed. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE61J02H20100220 __________________

02-20-10, 05:09 PM	#4
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 42,602 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	- "Sssame procedure as last year, Miss Sophie?" - "The sssame procedure as every year, James!" The same old faces will pop up again after the elections. The only questionmark is Geert Wilders. But even if his party would win (German TV today says his party currently runs second place), I doubt he would be asked to form a coalition government as prime minister. Because, as he has been told by a Dutch court, it does not matter whether or not he can prove his statements at court, but what counts is that his views are illegal (says the court). Good luck, Holland. Some more years of political degeneration and corruption at courts and nullifying of legal evidence, and you can truthfully announce "Land unter" even with the sea level staying where it currently is and Global Warming having turned into an Ice Age. We others are close on your heels anyway, heading into the same abyss . __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.

02-20-10, 05:25 PM	#5
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,461 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	What sort of military presence does Holland have over there? __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

02-20-10, 05:48 PM	#8
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 42,602 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	I hate to be quoted. It reiterates how many typos I produce with my undisciplined speed-typing. Corrected. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.

02-20-10, 07:56 PM	#12
krashkart Navy Seal Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 5,292 Downloads: 100 Uploads: 0	We had a Darth Vader and his crew from 2000-2008. Darth pictured on the right: Pax Americus! __________________ sent from my fingertips using a cheap keyboard

02-20-10, 03:28 PM	#2
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	I blame Voldemort

02-20-10, 09:22 PM	#14
KeptinCranky Ace of the Deep Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Netherlands Posts: 1,050 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	Skybird, It does appear that our foreign minister made some verbal guarantees to the Nato chairman... there's also that whole business with our previous foreign minister being the Nato chairman before Rasmussen,... there's no actual evidence but I doesn't take a genius to piece together that they promised Nato to stay longer and thought they could get away with a fait accompli. I'm glad they didn't, I'm not a big fan of the current (ex)government, I do not like the way they mix their christian mythology into their politics...I'm happy to see them sod off, I just wish they'd done so earlier. All I hope is that we'll finally be rid of that ineffectual nitwit Balkenende, and hopefully have the next government entirely without the christian democrats. There's local elections for city councils in two weeks, we'll see what happens there for an indication about who we Dutch feel takes the blame for this mess. As to the mission our military's doing in Uruzgan province in Afghanistan, I think they've done some good over the years, I just hope it lasts, despite the casualties. I just feel that two important rules for any military action were ignored in agreeing to go there in the first place: - "Never start a land war in asia" and - if you have to fight, fight to win, they should've gone in with everything and the kitchen sink to back them up, not leave the Leopard tanks and the artillery support behind... I've seen some references from other countries that call our troops "the beggar army". if there's ANY truth to that I feel the government responsible has a lot to answer for..