International

The SP has described the plan put forward by defence minister Henk Kamp to furnish the country with cruise missiles as 'laughable'. RTL News revealed that the minister was preparing a decision to the effect that Dutch frigates should be supplied with the weapons. The government's ministerial council will decide on Friday whether to back the plan. “Kamp obviously wants to be the American war machine's perfect employee,” concludes SP Member of Parliament Krista van Velzen.

This comes as no surprise to the SP spokeswoman on defence issues. “Kamp's cruise missiles would tie the Dutch navy, and thereby the Dutch government, fully into the American ‘first strike’ capacity, the ability to strike the first, terrible blow from a great distance. In the sales patter of weapons firms the defence of the country against incoming missiles from rogue states and terrorists has been raised. Does North Korea have plans to attack the Netherlands? Do terrorists such as the Hofstad Group have missiles against which our Patriots are useless? It's complete rubbish.”

By buying cruise missiles the government would demonstrate what in its jargon 'the highest sections of the spectrum of violence' means. Van Velzen: “For me it's more like the highest sections of political madness, putting the Netherlands' defence capability at the service of aggressive American ambitions.” This government will, before it is voted out of office in May 2007, also sign contacts for the supply of the fighter plane, the JSF, thereby completing its wholesale transition to the American attack strategy.

Van Velzen is also astonished by Kamp's timing: “We've just got Prinsjesdag behind us (the day when, traditionally, the government reveals its plans through a speech by the Queen) when the government made major plans known and discussed them with Parliament. Did Mr Kamp by chance forget about this?”