Dutch military pictures

[Seven81]

Both of you clearly have no idea what motivates a soldier. What motivates me is going out there and actually doing my job instead of just going on exercise. And if that also means making a change for the local population (albeit on a small scale) so much for the better.
And Balic, your last comment has no place on these boards, opinon or not.

[N-G-F-O]

I'm with you on that, Seven.

[sp2c]

Uhmm, no, I have to disagree. They don't die for there country, most of the Dutch people don't give a **** about Afghanistan. Better said, I think most of the Dutch soldiers don't give a **** about Afghanistan. (Or even the whole NATO force in Afghanistan) They are send there by a government that lives in a perfect fantasy world and think they can ''make a change''

They want to turn a moslim country into a democratic country. They think they can ''destroy/defeat'' the Taliban, you can't call such government realitic.

The above is impossible, that's a fact.

The only situation I can call being relevant to the saying ''They died for the country'' is when there nation is being invated or in other ways threatened by some other nation.

Anyway, if they want me to go to Afghanistan to do the impossible...I would say I don't wanna go, but as I have signed a contract that says I can be send all over the world to fight for purposes I don't care about, I have to go and I will go. But if I had a choice I would say; ''No thanks''

As we in Holland say:

''Laat die moslims maar lekker in hun eigen soep gaar koken''

that's not the point ... it's not the troops that want to rebuild Afghanistan, that's the politicians.
some soldiers agree, others disagree but in the end the military is a tool (no pun intended ) at the governments disposal to serve Dutch interests.

Right now the governments feel that stabilizing Afghanistan is in our best interests (terrorists and all that) so they send the military to do it for them

I agree with the mission but when I get on the plane early next year I won't be doing it for the poor Afghans because I don't really care they might as well have been Congolese or Lebanese, I'll do it because my country wants me to do it and if somebody shoots me in the face I will be buried with full military honours (hopefully) and not in Afghanistan (again ... hopefully) but in the Netherlands because for me, that's what it's all about

[sp2c]

but I do hope nobody shoots me dead because I figure it hurts and I don;t think I helped enough old ladies cross the street to warrant an appartment in heaven

besides, I'm way too nice to kill

[Thunder]

Both of you clearly have no idea what motivates a soldier. What motivates me is going out there and actually doing my job instead of just going on exercise. And if that also means making a change for the local population (albeit on a small scale) so much for the better.
And Balic, your last comment has no place on these boards, opinon or not.

Nobody said anything about the soldiers' motivations. It's great you enjoy it so far, but soldiers wanting to go out and do something else than exercising, is no reason to help a country, in the middle of nowhere and hardly of any importance, get back on its feet (while it's never been on its feet before).
What if we manage to help a small percentage of a small percentage of the Afghan people that do appreciate western aid during our stay? Is that worth all the invested millions and millions of euros?

Dodgy countries such as Venezuela and Iran are bigger priorities/threats at the moment. We better keep some reserves incase the shit hits the fan.

[Henk Vizee]

Nobody said anything about the soldiers' motivations. It's great you enjoy it so far, but soldiers wanting to go out and do something else than exercising, is no reason to help a country, in the middle of nowhere and hardly of any importance, get back on its feet (while it's never been on its feet before).
What if we manage to help a small percentage of a small percentage of the Afghan people that do appreciate western aid during our stay? Is that worth all the invested millions and millions of euros?

Dodgy countries such as Venezuela and Iran are bigger priorities/threats at the moment. We better keep some reserves incase the shit hits the fan.

You clearly have no idea about the 'big picture' and the reason why we're there in the first place; not because we do love the Afghan people so much, but because it's a breeding- and training place for terrorists who can operate world wide. It is in our interest to make/keep the country 'stable' and have it under 'western' influence...

In Iran or Venezuela is irrelevant for a country like ours, and it probaly will be for quite some time...

[SiFiOn]

I was at a presentation the other day by the commander of DTF ISAF III (who is a cavalryman). Major objections to deploying tanks to Afghanistan have more to do with the major logistical problems of actually getting them in theatre than using them in operations.
He said tanks in small numbers (1 plt) might make a huge difference not only because of the psychological influence on the enemy, but mainly because of their advanced sensors.
The Canadians are using their Leopards quite succesfully in Afghanistan.

Didn't they state at the beginning of this presentation some words like "Confidential"?

[Seven81]

No they didn't. It's got nothing to do with ongoing operations, it' s merely hypothetical.

[SiFiOn]

1234567890

[SiFiOn]

Uhmm, no, I have to disagree. They don't die for there country, most of the Dutch people don't give a **** about Afghanistan. Better said, I think most of the Dutch soldiers don't give a **** about Afghanistan.

Speak for yourself please.

They want to turn a moslim country into a democratic country. They think they can ''destroy/defeat'' the Taliban, you can't call such government realitic.

The above is impossible, that's a fact.

How come you think that the goal here is trying to put democracy on this nation?

The only situation I can call being relevant to the saying ''They died for the country'' is when there nation is being invated or in other ways threatened by some other nation.

So you think our country isn't involved in some kind of threat? Wake up please....

Anyway, if they want me to go to Afghanistan to do the impossible...I would say I don't wanna go, but as I have signed a contract that says I can be send all over the world to fight for purposes I don't care about, I have to go and I will go. But if I had a choice I would say; ''No thanks''

Maybe you should consider finding yourself another job if I understand correctly that you have a contract with the MoD. Especially when you state things like this:

As we in Holland say:

''Laat die moslims maar lekker in hun eigen soep gaar koken''

[SiFiOn]

that's not the point ... it's not the troops that want to rebuild Afghanistan, that's the politicians.
some soldiers agree, others disagree but in the end the military is a tool (no pun intended ) at the governments disposal to serve Dutch interests.

Right now the governments feel that stabilizing Afghanistan is in our best interests (terrorists and all that) so they send the military to do it for them

I agree with the mission but when I get on the plane early next year I won't be doing it for the poor Afghans because I don't really care they might as well have been Congolese or Lebanese, I'll do it because my country wants me to do it and if somebody shoots me in the face I will be buried with full military honours (hopefully) and not in Afghanistan (again ... hopefully) but in the Netherlands because for me, that's what it's all about

What's a Navy guy like you going to do in A-stan? (No offense).

[SiFiOn]

Both of you clearly have no idea what motivates a soldier. What motivates me is going out there and actually doing my job instead of just going on exercise. And if that also means making a change for the local population (albeit on a small scale) so much for the better.
And Balic, your last comment has no place on these boards, opinon or not.

X2 ..........

[SiFiOn]

Nobody said anything about the soldiers' motivations. It's great you enjoy it so far, but soldiers wanting to go out and do something else than exercising, is no reason to help a country, in the middle of nowhere and hardly of any importance, get back on its feet (while it's never been on its feet before).
What if we manage to help a small percentage of a small percentage of the Afghan people that do appreciate western aid during our stay? Is that worth all the invested millions and millions of euros?

Dodgy countries such as Venezuela and Iran are bigger priorities/threats at the moment. We better keep some reserves incase the shit hits the fan.

I thought the **** really hit the fan back in september 2001. That's the reason we are here, and to prevent another 9-11. Maybe the next one is in our homecountry. When you state that it's not worth it, you sound typical Dutch to me. 'De put dempen als het kalf verdronken is'. And yes, Iran is a threat, but Venezuela isn't at this moment, and will not be in the nearby future. You can't be all over the world, especially not when you have an Army just as big as ours. Even the US isn't capable to conduct ops in 3 different countries at the same time.

[sp2c]

What's a Navy guy like you going to do in A-stan? (No offense).

you can't call me a navy guy and then say no offense!

I just like the picture

[sp2c]

grabbed this one of mindef.nl regarding Srebrenica



sad story, great photo