THE HAGUE, Netherlands - The son of the Dutch defense chief was killed Friday by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan, and the Taliban claimed they deliberately made the young lieutenant a high-profile target. While the Dutch quickly cast doubt on the Taliban claim, the death underscores the danger high-profile soldiers can face and illustrates a grim reality for families, famous and not, who choose the military life. Lt. Dennis van Uhm, 23, was one of two Dutch soldiers killed in the explosion seven miles northwest of Camp Holland, the Dutch military base in the restive southern province of Uruzgan. Two...snip
The attack raised the Dutch death toll in Afghanistan to 16 since the government made the unpopular decision to send 1,650 troops to fight in the NATO force in August 2006.
In November, Balkenende's government again defied public opinion and decided, under NATO pressure, to prolong the mission by two years until mid-2010, but only after pledges that allies such as France and Australia would send more troops.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/afghanistan;_ylt=AqENLAJMP1iX1EIsGFpCcKoDW7oF
