Toespraak van de Prins van Oranje in West Point, 8 september 2009

Toespraak | 08-09-2009

General and Mrs Hagenbeck, Corps of Cadets, Ladies and gentlemen,

I am proud to address you at West Point, a center of excellence that has yet to meet its equal. It is not just the landscape that makes this visit memorable, although it is magnificent: as we flew up here, we could see the United States Military Academy nestled in a beautiful bend of the Hudson River. But the atmosphere at West Point is even more special. This institution breathes values: honor and duty in the service of your country. I am privileged to be in such inspiring surroundings this afternoon. This visit reminds me of my own military training. It was a defining period in my life, as I am sure it is in yours.

Today, I would like to talk to you about the history and values that the United States and the Netherlands share, and about our joint efforts to meet the new challenges of our century, in particular in Afghanistan.

This morning, a Dutch fleet sailed into New York Harbor, accompanied by USS Curney and other NAT0 ships. This marked the beginning of a week of celebrations commemorating four hundred years of friendship between the United States and the Netherlands. The fleet's arrival was a fitting way to launch the festivities, as it was Captain Henry Hudson who first arrived at the island of Manna Hatta in 1609, sailing under the Dutch flag. He continued up the river that now bears his name. A replica of Hudson's ship, the Halve Maen, was part of the fleet that arrived today.

The early history of Manhattan is told skillfully by Russell Shorto in his fascinating book The Island at the Center of the World. Fascinating, because Shorto brings to life characters whom history had apparently long forgotten. He tells us about the Dutch immigrants who followed in Hudson's wake. Not only did they shape their New Amsterdam colony, but ultimately their spirit permeated American society, "by setting Manhattan on course as a place of openness and free trade." (1) The traits these immigrants brought with them - open-mindedness, tolerance, an enterprising spirit, free trade, a solid work ethic and a strong belief in freedom of speech and freedom of religion - are still at the heart of American society today. For a long time historians overlooked these Dutch roots and focused exclusively on the British influence. All the more reason this year for us to celebrate four hundred years of friendship. Too many people knew too little about our shared history. It was high time to remind them. That's why we've painted the town orange this week - even the Empire State Building will be lit in our national color!

Ladies and gentlemen,

The Dutch lost their colony to the British after barely half a century. We didn't think of putting a Great Chain across the Hudson River to block British ships, as you did barely a century later during the American Revolutionary War. The remnants of that chain here at West Point are a vivid reminder that creativity can achieve a lot.

But even though Dutch rule was short-lived, our friendship with the new continent was not. On November 16th, 1776, the Netherlands was the first country to salute the United States flag, from the Dutch island of Statia (or as we know it St. Eustatius) in the Caribbean, returning the salute of the American vessel Andrew Doria. (2) John Adams, later the second president of the United States, was sent as an envoy to Europe to win support for the American cause. He succeeded: in 1782, the Dutch Republic became the second country after France to officially recognize the US.

The home that Adams bought in The Hague became the first American-owned Embassy on foreign soil. For Ambassador John Adams, those were happy times. He is recorded as saying, "When I go to heaven, I shall look down over the battlements with pleasure upon the stripes and stars wantoning in the wind at The Hague." (3) The loans that Adams managed to get from Dutch bankers were the backbone of the new country's budget, and Dutch investments later helped finance the Louisiana Purchase.

Ladies and gentlemen,

On our way to this auditorium we passed the statue of President Eisenhower. I know that General Gavin, who commanded the US 82nd Airborne Division in Operation Market Garden in 1944, is buried here. The Dutch people are greatly indebted to these two, and many other West Point alumni, and to the United States, for securing our freedom.

The Second World War added another dimension to Dutch-American friendship. The gratitude of the Dutch people to their liberators has endured over time; the sacrifices American soldiers made have not been forgotten. The American Cemetery in the Dutch town of Margraten, which is the final resting place of over 8,000 military dead, has become a symbol of freedom to the Dutch. Local people have adopted and maintain the graves of the fallen, as an expression of their deep gratitude. Later this month, we will commemorate Operation Market Garden, which started 65 years ago. General Petraeus, Commander of US Central Command, and coincidentally of Dutch descent, will be present at the ceremonies. General Petraeus commanded the 101st Airborne Division in Iraq: the same 101st Airborne Division that fought so bravely in 1944 to secure our bridges and territory, facing fierce German resistance.

After World War II, US and other NATO soldiers continued to stand guard for our freedom. From my childhood, I remember the bumper stickers on the cars in the town where I grew up, near Soesterberg Air Base where American F-15's were still stationed at the time. "Jet Noise: the Sound of Freedom!" these stickers read.

Each year , we remember the American lives that were lost so that we can be free. Each day we continue that effort to preserve freedom, together.

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is no accident that West Point - a breeding ground of American leadership - is our second destination in this festive week. This underscores the value the Netherlands places on its alliance with the United States. In line with the North Atlantic Treaty, our two countries are resolved to safeguard the freedom, common heritage and civilization of our peoples, founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law. Gradually we have come to understand that promoting stability and well-being in the North Atlantic area requires promoting stability and well-being worldwide. As President Eisenhower said, "A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both." With that warning in mind, the US and the Netherlands work together for peace, freedom and prosperity around the world, on the basis of the principles we hold dear: democracy and respect for human rights.

Since the establishment of the United Nations in 1945, the Netherlands has taken part in dozens of peace missions and other operations, deploying our men and women in uniform to all corners of the world. In many of these operations, our military has worked together well with yours. From Korea to the Persian Gulf, from Haiti to the Balkans, from Africa to Afghanistan. The Netherlands has not shirked its responsibility to commit forces to international military operations in the interests of peace and stability. The impact of these international missions on society cannot be overestimated. I am proud of what the Dutch military achieves in the world, even though the loss of life saddens me tremendously, like during the last two days when two more of our brave men brought the ultimate sacrifice.

International military cooperation has taught us many valuable lessons, and we continue to learn more. One of the key lessons, I would say, is that many conflicts have no purely military solution. Ending conflicts requires not only establishing security but also reaching a political settlement. And a political settlement can only last if people have confidence in their future. We have to look at several factors in conjunction, such as socioeconomic development, the rule of law, respect for human rights, and the fight against impunity. Only an integrated approach can bring about lasting results.

The merits of such an approach come as no surprise to West Pointers. After all, the President who founded this academy, Thomas Jefferson, had a clear vision that "for American soldiers, sustaining life, repairing damaged social fabric and building anew was as much part of the military mission as lessons in killing". (4) A corps of civil engineers was established here as one of the army's elite formations. West Point's commitment to civil as well as military engineering is one of the ways in which idealism lives on in the institution.

Defense, development and diplomacy should not be seen in isolation from each other. They are interconnected. If one leg is missing, the stool will not stand, as former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan often reminded us. As the Chairman of the UN Secretary-General's Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation, I can only concur. No hard-and-fast line can be drawn between security and economic prospects, between educating people properly and preserving their natural resources, between respect for human rights and access to drinking water. All these things are interrelated. If we want to be successful, we should not focus on one subject and disregard the rest. We have to take an overall view and coordinate our efforts so as to have a lasting impact. This means that different players - the military, aid organizations, diplomats - must work together on the basis of a shared vision and strategy.

The international community's involvement in Afghanistan is a clear case in point. The Netherlands has been part of NATO's ISAF operation since 2002. Right now there are two thousand Dutch soldiers there, most of them stationed in the southern province of Uruzgan. We are convinced that the best path to victory in Afghanistan is to make the Taliban irrelevant by giving the Afghan people hope for a better life. This is why our military is also engaged in small-scale projects, in an effort to improve the situation of Uruzgan's people and to win their hearts and minds.
I have been to Afghanistan several times, and with each visit, I have seen improvements on the ground. The last time I visited, in April this year, I was struck by the lights that greeted me in and around the city of Kandahar. A town that hardly had any electricity before was now brightly lit.
I walked the streets of Chora, two years ago still the scene of the longest and fiercest battle our forces have been involved in in recent history. A town impossible to visit due to lack of security could now be experienced on foot without helmet! What I saw there convinced me that we are on the right track in Uruzgan. There was a lot of economic activity. I saw a wide range of products on offer in the bazaar - including audio equipment, which points to the presence of reliable electricity. I saw small trucks and tractors, there were people on the streets - all of them extremely friendly, by the way - and the village had a bustling everyday life. Although I know that progress is fragile and positive developments can easily be reversed, I thought these were very hopeful signs.

Increasingly, development activities are taken on by civilians and the Afghan government, albeit still with much needed help from national and international aid organizations. Between my last two visits, the number of aid organizations working in Uruzgan rose from five to thirty. And shortly after my last visit, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan opened an office in Uzuzgan's capital, Tarin Kowt, to coordinate these efforts: a very welcome development.

Gradually, the Netherlands has also increased the number of civilian personnel in Uruzgan. Diplomats and development experts are now working alongside military officers in the Provincial Reconstruction Team. Our PRT is now even civilian led. And it's working: the military and civilians complement and reinforce each other. This team work and the integrated approach are the key to success. I am delighted that the integrated approach in Afghanistan will be discussed in more detail this afternoon, here at West Point, between American and Dutch experts, both military and civilian. I wish you a most fruitful meeting.

Ladies and gentlemen,

One of our most famous war heroes was Erik Hazelhoff, known as the Soldier of Orange. He was a close friend of my grandfather Prince Bernhard, and although he and I belonged to different generations, he was my friend too. One of the few Dutchmen who made it to England during the German occupation, he served as a pilot in the Royal Air Force and dropped agents on the Dutch shores right in front of the German officers club, figuring that they would not mine that part of the beach. As her aide-de-camp, he accompanied my great-grandmother Queen Wilhelmina when she returned to the Netherlands upon our liberation by the Allies.. Shortly after the Second World War he emigrated to the United States and became an American citizen. In his new home, he became the Director of Radio Free Europe, among many other things. He spent his last years in Hawaii, where he passed away almost two years ago at the age of ninety.

One lesson of Erik Hazelhoff's that I would like to share with you in conclusion is that "in life, fear is the enemy, but faith will defeat it. Faith in anything you believe in, under whatever name you may cherish it." (5)

The United States and the Netherlands believe in freedom. We believe in democracy. And we believe in human rights and human dignity for all. We cherish these values. This puts us in a great position to meet the challenges of this new century. In Afghanistan and elsewhere. Thomas Jefferson founded West Point so that it would train future leaders and teachers, not mere soldiers. His idea was to create a cadre of guardians who would stand against any threats to civil freedom. (6) I am convinced that together, the United States and Europe can be a decisive force for good in the world. We should not fall short of that noble goal.

Thank you.

(1) Shorto, 2004, p. 310.

(2) Barbara W. Tuchman, The First Salute: A View of the American Revolution, New York, 1988

(3) Koen Sizoo, A Story of Old Friends: The Netherlands and the United States, The Hague, 1997, p. 39

(4) Simon Schama, The American Future: A History, London, 2008, p. 60

(5) Erik Hazelhoff, In Pursuit of Life, 2003, p. 182

(6) Schama, p. 54