Told ya so! Dutch foreign policy going Islamophobic!

Yep – I told you so…the radicalization of Dutch foreign policy. I hate to say this, but I told you so…yep…the radicalization of once proud and admired Dutch foreign policy.  In the November 24, 2010 post on Chasing Dirt (Uri Rosenthal’s statements about NATO and Dutch foreign policy) I discribed how Dutch foreign policy would radicalize toward the crackpot Islamophobia of Geert Wilders and Pim Fortuyn, with the pet-dream of Wilders being the Netherlands leading the Western world in a (genocidal) war against all Muslims to eradicate the “ideology of Islam.” (also see – Hypocritical Netherlands crows about Burma elections!)This is especially needed if PVV extremists get their hooks in deep into foreign and security policy – and I would also advance the idea that we will see Dutch foreign policy gradually attempt to portray predominantly Muslim nations and states as “dangerous, radical nations” and the presence of Muslim populations anyplace in the world as “security issues.”  To the extent that these crackpot ideas will be pushed will indicate how deep the hooks PVV extremists have into the country’s foreign and security policy.  Today, Dutch foreign policy is now being slowly molded on crackpot Islamophobia of Wilders-Fortuyn and living up to my predictions…

• Prediction – mark this one dear Reader: The Human Rights Defenders’ Tulip will go to a Coptic Christian and/or someone who “fought Muslim aggression.”

Why? National identity built on domestic politics is reflected in foreign policies and the Netherlands is now (sadly) sliding into a crackpot Islamophobic identity. A few authors, Peter Katzenstein, Ronald Jepperson, among others, have argued that domestic politics can have effects on the national identity, which can be  reflected in the foreign policy and security interests of states. “Identity” as a collective construction of culture, norms – enacted domestically and projected internationally.  The legitimacy following elections successes of Islamophobic radicals and extremists in the Dutch  political system, with radical Geert Wilders as the hidden minister-president of the Netherlands, is now resulting in a crackpot Islamophobic foreign policy.The manifestation of pro-Israel and crackpot Islamophobic, Dutch foreign policy. First of all, the Dutch intelligence “spy service” – AIVD – went Islamophobic a long time ago… Now – sadly and with disgust – the traditional Dutch advocacy for human rights for all people of all religions now appears to have succumb to crackpot Islamophobic myths about Muslims and Islam of Fortuyn-Wilders, as has immigration policy. At one time, Dutch foreign policy activism once embraced the idea of human rights and freedom for all who aspired, including helpful aid for them. These human rights activisms have been label “Leftist projects” by the radicals like Wilders and his misfits of the PVV, including PM Mark Rutte.Besides the trips that Wilders and Rosenthal have taken to Israel - it comes as no surprise to this Author that Rosenthal wants a closer relationship with Israel (Israelis have probably sponsored the extremist PVV and radicalizer Geert Wilders and I believe that this is a slow take over of the Netherlands by Israel.)  It was right for the Dutch Buitenlandse Zaken to protest the execution of one of its citizens by Iran, but the spat with crazy, radical Iran will provide an excuse to create an image of “a typical Muslim country with Islamic ideology.”  We need to watch the Netherlands relations with Iran, as they could cause international problems. We have PVV radicals in the Dutch foreign ministry and they will cause problems - mark my words on that ! On the surface we see Mensenrechten voor iedereen (human rights for everyone), but dig a bit deeper in individual documents of late, we see otherwise. The first of many manifestations crackpot Islamophobic, foreign policy desires for various countries out of the Tweede Kamer to the foreign ministry.  The apparent view from the Tweede Kamer is that Dutch promotion of Godsdienstvrijheid (religious freedom) should defend religious freedom for only Christian minorities in Middle Eastern countries, including Egypt, and not advocate religious freedom for everyone. This exclusive call to defend religious freedom for Coptic Christians only also called for the EU to get involved in human rights for religious minorities in Arab, predominantly Muslim countries, but, again, only for Coptic Christians.Egypt became the sharp focus again after the attacks against Coptic Christian in late 2010, as questions from Wilders and other PVV radicals indicate. Not only did the PVV radical mistfits in the Tweede Kamer want to make trouble, but other parties, like the CDU and SP also decided to join in… These questions are phrased to make “radical Islamists” look like a normal social group for places like Egypt – and appear to want to portray Muslim lands as “dangerous and uncivilized,” as well as Muslims as “vicious animals,” using the attacks on Christians as a pretext. (see also (NL)-  Antwoord kamervragen aanslag kerk in Egypte - beantwoording kamervragen Van Bommel aanslag kerk in Egypte).There is nothing wrong with international activism for the religious freedoms of religious minorities - but the rights of religious minorities need to be defended in the Netherlands too.

Geert Wilders and Uri Rosenthal with egg on their faces…but the Netherlands will pay dearly! Wilders and other PVV radicals, including Uri Rosenthal, are absolutely wrong about the “threat” against Coptic Christians in especially Egypt. These exclusive concerns for Coptic Christians that ignores the widely reported unity between Christians and Muslims, including in the Egyptian democratic revolution -  demonstrates the crackpot foreign policy that is coming to being in the Netherlands.The reality on the ground in Egypt is that after the attack on the Coptic Christians – Muslims demonstrated their solidarity with their Christian brothers by attending Coptic Christian Mass as human shields. In the democratic revolution, both Egyptian Jews and Christians stood by as Muslims openly prayed in Liberation Square – far out of government sanctioned mosques. Part of Fortuyn-Wilders crackpot Islamophobia is that Muslims “hate freedom of speech” and Islam is “incomparable with democracy.” Notice – the the reaction in the Arab Muslim world to the Danish cartoons. Really? Well- Egyptian democratic activists (probably mostly Muslims) held a mock funeral for a journalist who was shot dead by police.

Imagine that…the reaction in the Dutch foreign ministry … to Christians and Muslims coming together… it must be truly shocking and threatening – in fact – it would not be surprising if the radicals in the Dutch foreign ministry were intentionally  ignoring this Muslim -Christian unity!Maybe the attacks on Coptic Christians did bring Egyptians together, as reported in the Washington Post (READ this Geert Wilders!) :

And the courageous acts belie the notion of an unreasoning and irrational Muslim “street” in Egypt run by religious thugs. Rather it is a reminder to the world that we are all called to be moral agents and stand up for the religious freedom of our neighbor, Jew or Gentile, Copt or Muslim.When an Egyptian Muslim housewife will leave her spoon in the pot and attend a Christmas Mass to protect the very life of her Coptic neighbor, the cause of religious freedom takes a bold step forward.

(see -  Egyptian Muslims act as “human shields” for Coptic Christmas mass, Washington Post – Egypt’s Muslims and Christians join hands in protest, BBC – Egyptian Muslims and Christians Rising Up Together, Huffington Post – Images of solidarity as Christians join hands to protect Muslims as they pray during Cairo protests, Daily Mail – Spencer Proven Wrong by Muslim-Christian Unity in Egypt, SpencerWatch) Well, the Mubarak regime only allowed Islamic worship in government sanctioned mosques, and Muslims that did not believe in the “official Islam” were oppressed and jailed. The Mubarak regime also persecuted Jews, as well as thwart the needs for Christians to build churches. The truth that crackpot Dutch foreign policy is out of touch with is Muslims were also denied religious freedom and persecuted in the countries listed in the document – Antwoord Kamervragen naar aanleiding van geannoteerde agenda van de Raad Buitenlandse Zaken 31 januari 2011. (see – Expert: Egypt’s Mubarak Resignation Good for Coptic Christians, Christian Post – Religious Freedom in Egypt, Hertiage Foundation – Set My People Free to Worship Me Group Seeks Religious Freedom, Real Courage – US: Egypt 2nd in religious freedom violations - Egypt: Historic Change Brings Hope for Human Rights, HRW)One of the ill-side effects of this crackpot foreign policy based on hateful myths about Muslims and radical Islamophobia  – in the face of growing democratic revolutions in Arab-Muslim countries – will isolate and exclude the once great Dutch foreign activism from the international community. Not only this, but crackpot foreign policy will, if allowed to advance further, create conflicts and make the Netherlands look anti-democratic and opposed to human rights and freedom Muslim people. Dutch foreign policy will look like a sick, sore thumb, and will be a laughing stock – and hamstring the ability of the country to take part in international efforts to solve real issues and crisis.Wilders and other PVV radicals, including Uri Rosenthal, will destroy Dutch foreign and security policy as surly Pim Fortuyn destroyed the once proud and admired Dutch national identity that made the Netherlands a once great nation – and it will take the Dutch people decades to recover their once great international activism after Rosenthal and the PVV radicals are cleaned out of the Dutch foreign ministry!

References and further readingBloom, William. 1993. Personal Identity, National Identity and International Relations. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge Ma.Hellema , Duco A. 2009. Dutch Foreign Policy. The Role of the Netherlands in World Politics. Republic of Letters.Jepperson, Ronald, Alexander Wendt and Peter Katzenstein, eds. (1996) The Culture of National Security. Columbia University: New York.