The Dutch Are In: After much discussion and dithering, the Dutch parliament has agreed that the Netherlands will send up to 1,700 troops to Afghanistan under the NATO banner. According to the Washington Post, the parliament handily defeated a motion to not send Dutch troops as part of the NATO 6,000-member force that plans to take over from US and coalition troops in southern Afghanistan this summer. Getting the Dutch signed on was a high priority for NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheff.
Two American service members were killed, and a third is missing after Iranian ballistic missiles and drones struck an air base in Jordan used by U.S. forces, U.S. Central Command said July 18.