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Netherlands - US Relations

the Dutch, as a small nation, are prickly about their independence and do not want to appear subservient to any other nation's agenda. In the transatlantic context, this meant they continued to frame their actions -- such as their decision to extend their troop presence in Iraq -- in neutral terms that downplay linkage to perceived U.S. interests.

The US partnership with the Netherlands is one of its oldest continuous relationships and dates back to the American Revolution. The excellent bilateral relations are based on close historical and cultural ties as well as a common dedication to individual freedom and human rights. The Netherlands shares with the United States a liberal economic outlook and firm commitment to free trade. The United States attaches great value to its strong economic and commercial ties with the Dutch. In 2009, the Netherlands was the largest destination for United States direct foreign investment, with 13.4% of the total. This made the United States the largest direct foreign investor in the Netherlands. Vice versa, the Netherlands was the third-largest direct foreign investor in the United States in 2009, and the Netherlands kept the same position in 2010.

The United States and the Netherlands often have similar positions on issues and work together both bilaterally and multilaterally in such institutions as the United Nations and NATO. The Dutch have worked with the United States at the WTO and in the OECD, as well as within the EU to advance the shared goal of a more open, market-led global economy.

The United States and the Netherlands joined NATO as charter members in 1949. The Dutch fought alongside the United States in the Korean War and the first Gulf War and have been active in global peacekeeping efforts in the former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. The Netherlands played a leading role in the 1999 Kosovo air campaign. They currently are contributing to EU peacekeeping forces in Bosnia. The Dutch also support and participate in NATO training efforts in Iraq, the EU and NATO police training efforts in Afghanistan, the NATO mission in Libya and in both EU as well as NATO counter-piracy operations.

Dutch-U.S. relations remained excellent and, if anything, became stronger in the new millenium. This relationship had proven its worth during the Dutch EU presidency, when both sides had grown even closer while pursuing shared objectives. The steady stream of high-level U.S. visitors to the Netherlands (including President Bush) and vice versa had clearly made a positive impact. The Dutch considered themselves valued partners of the U.S., and this partnership had produced tangible results in many spheres.

The Dutch have their own ideas about the Americans. There is still an immense gratitude for the liberation in the Second World War and for the help to rebuild the country via the Marshall plan. But there is also criticism for the role the US played in South East Asia, for a consumption oriented materialistic culture. Then there is great admiration for what the US has achieved in music, in sports, in space, in movies.

The assistance during the revolution received from France is very well known and commemorated on a number of US stamps. Since Barbara Tuchman wrote The First Salute some people do know that the US flag was officially saluted for the first time by a foreign power on the Dutch colony St.Eustatius, the island that was so important for supplies to the rebelling American colonies that it was nicknamed the Arsenal of the Revolution and that the English decided to take it during the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War of 1780-84. That a number of bankers from Amsterdam had early contacts with the American rebels and provided the necessary financial support is less known.

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 renewed the American-Dutch military alliance of the 1780's. Holland, already at war with Germany and Italy, declared war on Japan within a few hours, even before the United States. During the following years, the fate of Holland was more closely linked to that of the U.S. than ever. American troops played a major part in the liberation of Holland from the German occupation, and after the fighting was over, the `European Recovery Program' (usually still called `Marshall Aid' in Europe, after its originator) poured more than a billion dollars into the reconditioning of the Dutch economy. In 1949, Holland, like the United States, for the first time abandoned its traditional peacetime neutrality and joined NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Those years saw the beginning of the heavy investment by U.S. companies in Europe and, in fact, of the enormous growth of the multinational companies and conglomerates which since have intertwined European and U.S. enterprise.

Politically, the relationship between the two countries found expression, in 1942, by Queen Wilhelmina addressing a joint session of Congress, while her daughter and successor Juliana had that same honor ten years later. The Netherlands had by then become such a solid ally of the U.S., that one could hear Dutch politicians occassionally complain that their country was taken too much for granted.

During the Gulf-war the Dutch provided naval support in the Gulf and sent patriot-systems to Israel as defence agains Scud attacs from Irak. In 1995 the diplomatic relations came under some stress when the US refused to support the candicacy of the former Dutch prime minister Lubbers to become secretary general of NATO after the former Belgian prime minister Willy Claes had to give up that position because of allegations of corruption during his period as prime minister. Another disturbing element is the role the DEA claims to be played by the Dutch Antiles in the drug-traffic to the United States.