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:
“What is the foundation of that interest all men feel in Greek history, letters, art and poetry, in all its periods from the Heroic and Homeric age down to the domestic life of the Athenians and Spartans, four or five centuries later? What but this, that every man passes personally through a Grecian period.”
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“Actual aristocracy cannot be abolished by any law: all the law can do is decree how it is to be imparted and who is to acquire it.”
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“The chief want, in every State that I have been into, was a high and earnest purpose in its inhabitants. This alone draws out “the great resources” of Nature, and at last taxes her beyond her resources; for man naturally dies out of her.”
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