AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan participation to be examined
The foreign minister calls on a thorough examination in order to "learn from both good and bad experiences" during a dozen years of war.
Published: 18 August 2014 07:15 CEST
43 Danish soldiers died in Afghanistan. Photo: Mads Nissen/Scanpix
Denmark’s foreign minister, Martin Lidegaard, has called for an extensive look into the nation’s involvement in the War in Afghanistan.
Denmark’s formal military engagement ended in July 2013 after 12 years, but residuals forces remain in the country today. The war cost 43 Danish lives and a total of 20 billion kroner ($3.6 billion).
Lidegaard did not detail what the investigation would entail but said it was important that the nation learn from its experience in Afghanistan.
“We should be able to learn from what we did well and from what we did less well. We owe that to the soldiers, their next of kin and to the Danish people,” he told Politiken.
“I personally will not question whether it was necessary to get involved, but that’s the not the same as saying that we shouldn’t learn from both good and bad experiences,” he added.
Lidegaard’s call to investigate Denmark’s involvement in Afghanistan was backed by the Conservatives, the Red-Green Alliance (Enhedslisten) and the Socialist People’s Party, while opposition parties Danish People’s Party and Venstre expressed scepticism.
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