International

Political discussions over the Netherlands' military missions in Afghanistan en Iraq have systematically avoided any reference to the fact that war means death, mutilation and the destruction of people's homes. In most of the media some space has been given to the 3,000 western soldiers who have lost their lives, to murdered westerners and to the abuses in Abu Graib and Guantánamo Bay. But of the many tens of thousands of dead from the Iraqi or Afghan side (very often ordinary, unarmed citizens), we rarely hear anything. On 18th March in Amsterdam there will be a demonstration calling for the Netherlands to break with the policies of the present United States administration.

For the eleventh year in a row the European Court of Auditors has come to the conclusion that what the EU is doing with its money is as clear as mud. Moreover, it is by no means obvious that any improvement can be expected in the future, especially as most other member states are not prepared to work to bring about changes. As far as SP Member of Parliament Ewout Irrgang is concerned, the Netherlands should not simply resign itself to this: “Of course we shouldn't send billions of euros a year to Brussels without it being absolutely clear what happens to this money when it gets there.”