Anyone think this might be a sign of Geert Wilders’ excellent influence in the Parliament of the Netherlands?
From Radio Netherlands
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Published on : 16 June 2011 – 3:10pm | By Ruben Koops (Photo: AFP)
The Dutch navy will be allowed to fight pirates on Somali territory. A majority in Dutch parliament agreed with Defence Minister, Hans Hillen, today that the anti-piracy effort has to be upgraded. Minister Hillen guarantees, however, that the Dutch won’t be involved in the fight against terrorism that is currently being fought in Somalia.
Since 2008, the Netherlands participate in EU and NATO efforts to tackle piracy off the coast of Somalia. It will ccontinue to do so in the foseeable future. The Dutch navy will us the existing UN mandate to perform pre-emptive strikes on pirates ashore. In the next few years the Netherlands will deploy several navy vessels and one sub-marine off the coast of Somalia, in order to prevent pirates from hijacking ships. “If we observe that people are loading a dhow (common pirate vessel, ed.) then I will not guarantee that forces won’t go there to prevent pirates to start their action”, says Hillen.
The Dutch ministry will not inform its Somali counterpart in Mogadishu in the event of a strike on land. According to Hillen, it is not a necessity to do so since the attacks will only be preventive.
Raymond Knops, MP for the Christian-Democratic People’s Party who supports the plans, says that the people living near the coast of Somalia shouldn’t be afraid. The rules of engagement that the Dutch troops have is confidential, so there is no information on whether Dutch troops can shoot at sight or only use arms in self-defense. But Knops assures that the Dutch have no hostile intent. “The people who live there won’t be affected at all. Just don’t co-locate with pirates, than you are in danger too.”
Minister of Defence Hans Hillen guarantees that the Dutch troops will not engage in the war against terrorism in Somalia. Currently, UN and African Union troops are fighting heavy battles with troops aligned with the Union of Islamic Courts, and Al Shabaab. MP Knops, however, thinks this stance is
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contradictory: “I think there is a close relationship between terrorism and piracy. These guys are not the Pirates of the Caribbean as we know them in the movies, (…) we can’t rule out that we have to deal and fight with terrorists!”
The Royal Netherlands Shipowners Asscociation, KNVR, calls the parliamentary decision an ‘improvement’.
Seems the US Marine Corps should lead the charge vs. piracy, especially the Islamic variety (the most common one these days). — the USMC’s origins involved the attack on the Islamic pirates in Tripoli …. How fitting it would be to get them back to their original assignment.
Of course , BHO recently mentioned ending the USMC, another payback for their past success vs. Islamic piracy?
Piracy is definitely Jihad. Oh, yes. Getting killed while looting an Infidel ship is a total pass into the highest levels of Paradise. This is all the same thing; these guys are part of the “War On Terror” as much as anybody.
Another sign that Europe is starting to wake up and fight back, and yes this is probably because of Geert Wilders’ influence.
FYI the original assignment of the US Marines was to be the fighting force on ships fighting against Great Britain, they were the first ground force of the US that was authorized by Congress. No I am not a Marine, I served in the Army but have won bet on which is the oldest service.