Dutch tank crews take aim at cutbacks

Hundreds of soldiers in a Dutch mechanised brigade protested at military spending cuts on the 28 April 2011 that will leave the Netherlands with no main battle tanks for the first time since the second world war and could restrict the country’s role in future international military interventions.

Cutbacks were announced earlier in April 2011 by the Duth government that will reduce defence spending from €8.5bn in 2011 to €7.5bn in 2015, eliminating 12,000 of the armed forces’ 59,000 personnel.

ESO: Background information: Dutch open to Afghan return http://www.europeansources.info/record/dutch-open-to-afghan-return/

The Netherlands: Ministry of Defence: Future policy http://www.defensie.nl/english/organisation/ministry_of_defence/future_policy/

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