Dutch aim to be third country with Tomahawk cruise missiles

Tomahawk on impactThe Hague - The Netherlands will soon be only the third country, alongside the United States and Britain, to possess Tomahawk cruise missiles, after it became clear last week that there is a majority in parliament backing their purchase.

Defence Minister Henk Kamp has moved steadily towards his goal of acquiring 30 Tomahawks from U.S. company Raytheon, overcoming objections that a small country has no need of the long-range capability that Tomahawks offer and that the Netherlands simply cannot afford them.

His aim is to mount them on two of the four new LC-class frigates that have been launched since 2000 and are the pride of the Dutch Royal Navy.

The opposition Labour Party (PvdA) and others on the left of the political spectrum oppose buying the Tomahawk on the grounds that it is an 'offensive' weapon, pointing out that Dutch troops are usually engaged only in peacekeeping and reconstruction in troublespots like Afghanistan and Iraq.

And the Christian Democrats (CDA), who make up the largest party in Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende's three-party coalition, have been hesitant throughout the two years the topic has been under debate.

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