The Netherlands' decision to extend its stay in Afghanistan by two years was intended to put an end date on its participation in the NATO mission, Canada's Liberal foreign affairs critic said Sunday.
"The Dutch are saying there is no extension beyond 2010," Liberal foreign affairs critic Bob Rae told CTV's Question Period on Sunday. "It's very clear that the deal they made in Holland was to say, OK, we will go to 2010, but that's it, it's over at that point."
Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende announced Friday that most of the country's 1,650 soldiers taking part in the NATO force would remain until 2010. The country's mission was due to expire in August.
Balkenende announced that they will reduce their troop levels by 200 to 300 soldiers and bring home two of the six F-16 fighter jets stationed in the country.
All five Apache helicopters will be left behind, Balkenende said.
The Netherlands' announcement to extend their mission came a day after a recording of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden telling European countries to get out of Afghanistan was released. Bin Laden said he was the "only one responsible" for the 9/11 attacks.
The Dutch were assigned to help rebuild the southern province of Uruzgan, but has become embroiled in battles in the area -- a hotbed of Taliban activity.
Since joining the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force last year, 12 Dutch soldiers have been killed. Canada has lost 73 soldiers since joining the mission in Afghanistan.
"The Dutch rules of engagement are much less -- if I may say so -- vigorous than the Canadians," Rae said.
Rae said the Liberal party wants Canadian troops to remain engaged in rebuilding Afghanistan, but not with a primary mission of combat.
"That is a role that has to be assumed by the Afghan army and frankly by others if that's what NATO decides," he said.
Canada's current mission in Afghanistan is set to expire in 2009. The Liberals and Bloc Quebecois would like to see Canada's combat role end at that time. The NDP wants to see Canadian troops brought home now.
Rae said Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservative government work very hard to avoid answering questions on the future of the Afghan mission.
"I think this is a huge failing on Mr. Harper's part. It should not be primarily a military mission," he said. "It's something where we have to recognize that the military issues have got to be seen in a much broader political context than they've been put by Mr. Harper and his government."
Harper would like the Afghan mission extended to 2011 and has appointed a non-partisan group to advise the government on a course of action.
That panel, led by former Liberal deputy prime minister John Manley, returned from a tour of Afghanistan on Tuesday.
