Former defence minister Søren Gade has rejected that he should accept responsibility for the failure to close down the Danish 'Armadillo' military base in Afghanistan in 2009.
The Danish Central Association of Permanent Defence Personnel (CAPD) has demanded a full-scale investigation into why Mr Gade allegedly ignored recommendations from the British military land kept the base in the Helmand province of Afghanistan going after it was deemed to be of 'no significant military value'.
Mr Gade, indirectly blamed for the death of five Danish troops who died in the 18-month interim period before the base was finally closed down in 2010, claimed yesterday that neither he nor the government was ever put under any pressure from British military leadership. He said:
"We have a defence command that makes all military strategy decisions and its recommendations were naturally forwarded to me, as minister. I abided by those recommendations."
Head of CAPD Jesper Hansen said if reports that the base should have been shut down in 2009 prove correct, then military leaders and politicians have seriously failed those soldiers who were forced to remain in place for 18 months for no strategic reason, costing five their lives.
"We should have listened to the British even though it may have cost public support for the war effort, which was exactly what politicians feared," he said.
Mr Gade, who's been dogged by controversy since he left office two years ago, added that he welcomed the investigation as he's 'nothing to hide'.