Dutch Govt rethinks Iraq invasion support
9:18 AM October 6
Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot says that with hindsight, the US-led invasion of Iraq that was supported by the Dutch Government, although it did not contribute troops, was "maybe not wise".
It was the first time that the Dutch Government has distanced itself from the invasion.
After questions in a meeting in Parliament about whether or not the invasion of Iraq was wise, Mr Bot said: "Now looking back the answer could be that maybe it was not wise".
According to Mr Bot it "would have been wiser" to continue on the path of diplomacy longer and to investigate the possible presence of weapons of mass destruction more thoroughly.
The Dutch centre-right government supported the US-led invasion in Iraq in March 2003 politically but did not send troops in the first months.
After Iraqi president Saddam Hussein was toppled in April 2003, the Dutch did send about 1,400 soldiers to the country as part of the multinational US-led forces.
The Dutch mission in Iraq formally ended in March of this year.
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