The government in Holland has announced its satisfaction over an explanation US Defence Secretary Robert Gates gave for comments in which he appeared to be critical of NATO troops serving in Afghanistan.

Mr Gates was quoted by the Los Angeles Times as having said that the majority of soldiers there had not been trained in counter-insurgency operations. However, according to one Dutch official, it was now understood that Mr Gates’ comments had been taken out of context.

Pentagon: Gates Referred to NATO Troops as a Whole

A spokesman for the Pentagon stated that the US Defence Secretary had been referring to the international alliance in more general terms than had been initially thought.

Over 1,500 Dutch troops are involved in the near-40,000-strong force currently deployed in Afghanistan.

"I'm worried we're deploying [military advisors] that are not properly trained and I'm worried we have some military forces that don't know how to do counter-insurgency operations", Mr Gates advised the Los Angeles publication.

Eimert Van Middelkoop, the Dutch Defence Minister, ordered the US Ambassador in Holland to the Hague in order that an explanation of this comment be given. Post-meeting, it was said by an official that the Dutch government was satisfied that Mr Gates had been misquoted.

The same official highlighted how, additionally, Washington was satisfied with the Canadian, Dutch and British troops operationally deployed in Afghanistan.

Pentagon: Gates’ Comments Not Aimed at Specific NATO Members

Prior to the meeting, Geoff Morrell, Pentagon spokesman, advised that Mr Gates’ comments were not in reference to a specific NATO country, but applied to the wider force, of which the US is a part. "The totality of the piece leaves the impression that the [defence] secretary is disturbed with the performance of individual countries in Afghanistan”, he said.

“He is not."

On the 15^th January, President Bush gave his approval for an additional 3,200 US troops to be sent to Afghanistan – a figure including 2,200 US Marines.

Source – Armed Forces International’s Political Correspondent

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