Belgian government agrees to send F-16 warplanes to Afghanistan

The Associated Press Friday, February 1, 2008
BRUSSELS, Belgium: The Belgian government on Friday approved the deployment of four F-16 warplanes to join NATO's force in Afghanistan.
A government statement said the planes would be sent in September. They will work with Dutch F-16s already operating in Afghanistan, Defense Ministry spokesman Didier De Weerdt said.
The Belgian offer comes as the United States steps up calls for European allies to increase their contribution to the 42,000-strong NATO force before a meeting of allied defense ministers next week.
The deployment of the planes and their crews will increase the number of Belgian troops serving with the NATO force to 480, up from the current level of 360, the government statement said. Belgium is also scheduled to send a training team to work with the Afghan army in October.
However the total number of Belgian troops in Afghanistan is due to fall to 260 by the end of the year as it withdraws other units, including troops helping to manage Kabul airport.
The Dutch are scheduled to bring home two of their six F-16 fighter jets from Afghanistan later this year.



Link
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/...fghanistan.php

The Van Damme diplomacy's working then?