Foundation in Law and Purpose
The Dutch armed forces exist by declaration in the constitution of the Netherlands. Article 97 of this constitution determines that the armed forces exist
- to defend the Kingdom of the Netherlands and its interests in the world; and
- to protect and advance the international rule of law.
Interestingly, this means that the role and responsibility of the Dutch military in international stability and peacekeeping is constitutionally determined.
The same article of the constitution determines that supreme command of the Dutch military resides with the government of the Netherlands. This has been the case since the constitution was changed in 1983; before then, supreme command of the armed forces of The Netherlands was held by the King of The Netherlands.
In addition, a second major change in military affairs was made in 2003. Before then, all citizens of The Netherlands were tasked with the defense of the kingdom. In keeping with the move to a professional military, this article was dropped.
Read more about this topic: Armed Forces Of The Netherlands
Famous quotes containing the words foundation, law and/or purpose:
“The poet needs a ground in popular tradition on which he may work, and which, again, may restrain his art within the due temperance. It holds him to the people, supplies a foundation for his edifice; and, in furnishing so much work done to his hand, leaves him at leisure, and in full strength for the audacities of his imagination.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“Here, lads, we live by the law of the taiga. But even here people manage to live. D’you know who are the ones the camps finish off? Those who lick other men’s left-overs, those who set store by the doctors, and those who peach on their mates.”
—Alexander Solzhenitsyn (b. 1918)
“And the purpose of the many stops and starts will be made clear:
Backing into the old affair of not wanting to grow
Into the night, which becomes a house, a parting of the ways
Taking us far into sleep. A dumb love.”
—John Ashbery (b. 1927)