Netherlands - Caught in Unfamiliar Realpolitik Dilemma

A good analysis by the New York Times

Netherlands caught in unfamiliar realpolitik dilemma.

193 Dutch Nationals killed in this horrific incident.

MH17 poses a major dilemma.  There are real underlying economic interests involved.   "We are a small country, dependent on our exports, and unlike the United States, we cannot always react from our moral high ground."

If Netherlands is small, then what is Singapore?  Tiny.  Netherlands has almost 17 Million people, Singapore has about 5 over million.  The Netherlands has a land area of more than 41,000 square km.

GDP of Netherlands is about US 772.2bn, while Singapore stands at US 274bn.

I hope Singaporeans are watching this episode closely.  We have to realise that we live in a world that is not sugar-coated.  Sometimes, we take our existence for a living.